Source: The Children’s Society Date: 17 August 2017 Unaccompanied and migrant children The Children’s Society in partnership with the University of Bedfordshire has published a report looking at the impact of excluding separated and migrant children from legal aid. The report finds that the safety net Emergency Case Funding is not working, stating that there is … Continue reading New report finds too much discrimination in the ‘system’
This is a helpful piece for IROs to consider - it provides good guidance as to the workings out of the pros and cons of whether to go s20 or care proceedings AND confirms that both are valid options and that neither are the default option to be followed. Source: @suesspiciousminds This is a case in … Continue reading Child refugees – section 20? Care proceedings? Either? – @suesspiciousminds
The Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) and the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) published a joint protocol in February 2017 advising court guardians and social workers to work more collaboratively to speed up cases, and where possible divert them from court. The agreement was criticised by the guardians' association … Continue reading A lesson in collaborative working & conflict: ADCS & Cafcass Joint Protocol axed as unlawful
Here is a nice read Empathy, anxiety and resilience: Lady Hale in the Supreme Court yesterday by Allan Norman at Celtic Knot. First published 06.13.13 on Lady Brenda Hale's feminist judgements. A longstanding champion of diversity in the judiciary, Lady Hale has previously said the court should be ashamed if it does not improve its record on … Continue reading Feminist judgements – how the story is told … #BeBoldforChange
A local authority has been criticised after an “unbalanced” social work assessment led to the illegal removal of a child from their mother’s care and conflicting accounts amongst the professional network about of what happened in professional discussions. This case raises a number of important points - not least in relation to IRO scrutiny and … Continue reading IRO scrutiny in a case which saw a child unlawfully removed from their mother’s care
A flavour of a really important judgement by Sir James Mumby that needs to be read in full please. Read at source: [2017] EWHC 2036 (Fam) Extract: What this case demonstrates, as if further demonstration is still required of what is a well-known scandal, is the disgraceful and utterly shaming lack of proper provision … Continue reading “One of the measures of a civilised society is how well it looks after the most vulnerable members of its society.”
Children and Social Work Act 2017 The Children and Social Work Act 2017 (the Act) is intended to improve support for looked after children and care leavers, promote the welfare and safeguarding of children, and make provisions about the regulation of social workers. The Act sets out corporate parenting principles for the council as a … Continue reading Get in on the Act …
Everyone would agree that local authorities have statutory care planning and review obligations and that includes consideration of the adverse impact on a child of delay. With this in mind, here's an interesting read ... 132.I appreciate that the Agency Decision Makers are very busy and the potential advantages both in saving time and resources, … Continue reading Responsibilities of the Agency Decision Maker for adoption @suesspiciousmin
A recent briefing by the Signis Group reports that that the new agreement launched by ADCS and Cafcass in February 2017 (made with regard to Public Law Outline Pre-proceedings and care proceedings and with implications for IROs), 'is not being taken forward at this time'. In March 2017 the Association of Lawyers for Children expressed … Continue reading ADCS and Cafcass Agreement
Family Rights Group has launched (10.07.2017) the Your Family, Your Voice Alliance Knowledge Inquiry report on section 20 voluntary arrangement for children coming into the care system. [...] there is no clear national picture of how local authorities go about discharging their duties and exercising their powers under section 20. The Inquiry has raised questions … Continue reading Children coming into the care system under voluntary arrangements
