Ministers have proposed extending section 25 of the Children Act 1989 so that it covers cases where local authorities in England or Wales have placed children in secure accommodation in Scotland. The legislation, and its Welsh equivalent, currently only cover placements between England and Wales. The changes have been tabled as part of proposed amendments … Continue reading Children Act changes proposed
The role of the IRO is to review and improve care planning, to challenge drift and delay and to ensure that the right permanence plan is achieved. Good planning and review is essential to achieving timely permanence and the right care for looked after children. The chance to build a trusting long-term relationship with a carer who shows their love, … Continue reading Reunification: Children’s return home from care
The Department for Education (DfE) launched the Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme to act as a catalyst for developing more effective ways of supporting vulnerable children. The programme is seeking to inspire whole system change to improve the life chances for children receiving support from the social care system, to provide stronger incentives and mechanisms … Continue reading Innovation News – large-scale projects to transform children’s social care
The Court of Appeal has reaffirmed the interpretation of the word 'abscond' in terms of escaping indefinitely from an imposed regime. This ruling will have a significant impact upon local authority applications in future ... 'There are two criteria for the making of a secure accommodation. The first being that the child has a history … Continue reading The deprivation of a child’s liberty – Family Law
Working with fathers of at-risk children: Insights from a qualitative process evaluation of an intensive group-based intervention By Jonathan Scourfield a,⁎, Clare Allely b, Amanda Coffey a, Peter Yates c Working with fathers of at-risk children: qualitative process evaluation of an intensive group-based intervention https://t.co/ckMm9dFN1J — Jonathan Scourfield (@ProfJScourfield) 22 January 2017 a Cardiff University, … Continue reading Working with fathers of at-risk children – Children and Youth Services Review
By Louise Mc Grath-Lone, UCL This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article: here Why some children are more likely to go back into care than others Each year, local authorities in England act as corporate parents for the 100,000 children who are placed in care. One important responsibility a parent has … Continue reading Why some children are more likely to go back into care than others
We've had an unpalatable array of news headlines about the significant pressures vulnerable children and families are facing. Not going to pretend, this post doesn't make for pleasant reading ... The Care Quality Commission regulator has warned that Social care cuts are taking English services to a tipping point. Birmingham city council’s chief executive, Mark Rogers, said in an article … Continue reading News roundup: Social care crisis
Government proposals to allow councils to apply for exemptions from children's social care legislation have been reinserted into the Children and Social Work Bill following a vote by MPs. 'The controversial so-called "exemption clause" was previously removed from the legislation in November following a defeat for the government in the House of Lords. But members … Continue reading MPs vote to reinstate controversial ‘exemption clause’
A High Court judge has awarded £20,000 damages to a mother and two children whose human rights were breached after “largely inexcusable” failings during a joint police and council investigation into abuse allegations. 'Cobb concluded the failings from both agencies occurred “within a context of individual and departmental professional pressure”. He found no evidence of … Continue reading Children wrongly kept in care after ‘inexcusable’ failings in abuse investigation
Prime Minister must find consensus on health and social care The Chairs of three House of Commons Select Committees are urging the Prime Minister to reach a cross-party agreement on the future of health and social care funding in a letter published on 6th January: Letter to Prime Minister regarding health and social care, 6 January 2017 … Continue reading Prime Minister urged to find consensus on health and social care
