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Transparency in the Family Court

 Judge allows publication of article about children in care

This blog is by 1 Crown Office Row barristers’ chambers. The blog’s editorial team is
General Editor: Adam Wagner
Commissioning Editor: Jim Duffy
Editorial team: Rosalind English, Angus McCullough QC, David Hart QC, Martin Downs

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Fountain pen on a blank page open on a diary book... Fountain pen on a blank page open on a diary book…

Tickle v Council of the Borough of North Tyneside and others [2015] EWHC 2991 (Fam) (19 October 2015) – read judgment

Before the court were cross applications by a journalist and the local authority regarding care proceedings which the former wished to report. The individual in question was a mother (representing herself in these proceedings) who had had a number of children taken into care in the past. Her life had been “blighted” historically by serious mental health problems which have at times made it unsafe for her to care for her children. At the time of this application, it seemed, those times appeared to be behind her. Be that as it may, she and her children had been through the care system on a number of occasions.

She had shared this experience on social media sites, and had…

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Beyond the Adoption Order

Discord and disruption in adoptive families Dr Julie Selwyn presented this lecture for Cardiff University's Children's Social Care Research and Development Centre in association with the BAAF (British Association for Adoption and Fostering). Read the full report: Beyond the Adoption Order: challenges, interventions and adoption disruption   

Childrens home incidents

Police chief urges leniency around childrens home incidents   Abstract Olivia Pinkney, children and young people’s lead at the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) and deputy chief constable of Sussex Police, has stated that local police services and children’s homes providers should work together to reduce the number of times officers are called out to residential … Continue reading Childrens home incidents

Care strategy for vulnerable children

Cambridgeshire Council has proposed a higher risk care strategy for its vulnerable children Public services in Cambridgeshire are facing cuts of £120m over the next five years. Cambridgeshire County Council has said the cuts are needed because the authority will be getting less money from central government. The biggest reduction is expected to fall on the council's … Continue reading Care strategy for vulnerable children

Young people talk to Who Cares Trust about social workers

Important messages here from young people: For today’s #carematters young people talk to us about social workers. — The Who Cares? Trust (@WhoCaresTrust) October 27, 2015 //platform.twitter.com/widgets.js “When I was 4-6 I remember lots of people in a room all talking about me. I didn’t know what was going on.” YP #Carematters — The Who … Continue reading Young people talk to Who Cares Trust about social workers

Population of children in care in England reaches 30-year high

Government statistics reveal that the child in care population is now higher than at any point since 1985 Care application statistics  also show that the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) has received 6,031 care applications in England in the six months to September 2015, an average of 1,005 a month. More headlines: Upward trend: If … Continue reading Population of children in care in England reaches 30-year high

‘Child in need’ stats fell last year – why?

Fewer children’s social care referrals are passing ‘child in need’ thresholds  Article by Luke Stevenson on October 22, 2015 in Community Care The proportion of children assessed as meeting ‘child in need’ thresholds by social services fell last year, government figures show. The Department for Education statistics show 23% of social services assessments in 2014-15 led to a decision that a child was ‘not in … Continue reading ‘Child in need’ stats fell last year – why?

Life story work

Research conducted jointly between the UK children’s charity Coram and the University of Bristol  shows that the quality of children's life story books varies considerably. The research has helped to address an absence in the academic literature of adopters’ perspectives on their children’s life storybooks. Forty adopters from England and Wales participated in either focus … Continue reading Life story work

Promoting the education of looked-after children

Multi-agency Training and Tool "Charlie" In response to the nationally recognised poor educational outcomes for Children Looked After, Somerset Children’s services have developed a multi-agency training tool called “Charlie”. Charlie is a fictional character, a looked-after child. He has finished his year 11 studies and disappointingly has not achieved his expected targets. Background We know … Continue reading Promoting the education of looked-after children

Unlocking Potential

A report by the Children's Commissioner for England has considered the safeguarding needs of young people in custody. Read the report of the Children's Commissioner here: Unlocking Potential Recommendations set out by the Children's Commissioner: Young people should only be placed in isolation as a last resort not very often not for a long time. Every time a young person is … Continue reading Unlocking Potential