Rt. Hon. Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division recently Key Note Address: “Crisis; What Crisis?”Association of Lawyers for Children Conference 2018 23 November 2018. This conference is meeting at a time when an unprecedented number of applications are being made each month by local authorities for care or supervision orders in relation to children. … Continue reading Keynote by Rt. Hon. Sir Andrew McFarlane “Crisis; What Crisis?”
The government must do more to divert families with ‘entrenched’ problems away from the courts, research by the chief children’s social worker has concluded. The ‘Case for clear blue water’ briefing by Isabelle Trowler found too many marginal cases involving children at risk of significant harm were entering the family justice system. The study argued … Continue reading Families must be diverted away from courts, Trowler report argues
Please listen to this BBC Radio 4 piece. It concerns 38 year old entrepreneur Simon who is fighting to become his teenage niece's legal guardian after she was placed in care. Until last year, Simon was a highly successful businessman with a city lifestyle to match. Then his business went under - and with it … Continue reading The Untold, Fighting for My Niece | BBC radio 4
'It is not enough to hold a focus group or consult a few kids who have recently left care. We need to get the widest view based on the longest, most diverse and most experienced consultants available -the care experienced community of all ages, in all its glorious diversity. That is why I support a … Continue reading Given the paradox of the care system, how can we possibly know what is the best way to improve it? #careexpconf
This new report is the first legal study in England and Wales to focus on sibling relationships. It offers insights into current thinking about siblings and fills a knowledge gap. By identifying the impact of the shifting legal framework and practitioner and expert assumptions about siblings underpinning current legal decision-making, it addresses an overlooked issue. … Continue reading Siblings, Contact and the Law: An overlooked relationship? | Nuffield Foundation
This policy briefing highlights the findings from an exploratory study of care proceedings in 4 local authorities across England. The study found that the vast majority of decisions taken to initiate care proceedings were certainly reasonable but the question is whether or not they were always necessary. The study found that the difficulties facing families … Continue reading Care Proceedings in England: The case for clear blue water | Isabelle Trowler
A landmark package of support has been announced by the Department of Education and Nadhim Zahawi MP to help raise aspirations and outcomes for care leavers. A number of businesses, charities and every government departments in England have signed up to the Care Leaver Covenant, which commits to provide work based opportunities to young people leaving the … Continue reading New scheme launched to support young people leaving care – call to action
Source: National Children's Bureau There is compelling evidence that the services and support that children rely on are at breaking point. NCB is proud to be part of a group of 120+ organisations calling for the Government to act swiftly to put children at the heart of its spending decisions. Supporters include teaching unions, children's charities, … Continue reading More than 120 national organisations accuse Government of ‘ignoring children’
The Department for Education is seeking to improve communication with IROs / social workers and has established an e-mail channel and a new e-newsletter for children and family social workers. Quarterly bulletins from the Department for Education will provide the latest news, guidance on best practice and updates from innovation projects across the country. Sign-up to … Continue reading News from the Department for Education
By Luke Haynes and Mithran Samuel The government will amend its planned replacement to the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) so that it applies to 16- and 17-year-olds, not just those over 18, a minister has confirmed. Junior health minister Lord O’Shaughnessy pledged to amend the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill yesterday so that the proposed … Continue reading Government to amend deprivation of liberty scheme to cover 16- and 17-year-olds
