Tag: IROs

Building a team around the social worker: how a council is reducing demand and supporting staff

by National IRO Managers Partnership (NIROMP), posted in Featured, Good practice / Performance / Improvement, News

https://twitter.com/IsabelleTrowler/status/895668276541485056 Over the past four years, numerous councils, projects and charities have made bids for funding to the Department for Educationā€™s Ā£200 million Innovation Fund.Ā Many councils, projects and charities have been backed with pots of money, and many others left disappointed. In 2014, Brighton was one such local authority that was unsuccessful in its bid … Continue reading Building a team around the social worker: how a council is reducing demand and supporting staff

Children’s social care is at breaking point – LGA calls on the Government to close the funding gap

by National IRO Managers Partnership (NIROMP), posted in News

New analysis by the Local Government Association (LGA), which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, reveals that in 2015/16 councils surpassed their childrenā€™s social care budgets by Ā£605 million in order to protect children at immediate risk of harm. At leastĀ 75% of councils in England have overspent on their childrenā€™s services budgets … Continue reading Children’s social care is at breaking point – LGA calls on the Government to close the funding gap

We need a common-sense approach to keeping children in care out of custody

by National IRO Managers Partnership (NIROMP), posted in Care / Permanence

By Ben Ashcroft | Source: Community Care | August 8, 2017 in Children | Twitter: @AshcroftBen  Great piece - here Ben Ashcroft looks at the criminalisation of children in care, and what common-sense approaches could be used to help avoid it: Periodically, the issue of ā€˜the criminalisation of children in careā€™ arises. In Sir Martin Nareyā€™s review of … Continue reading We need a common-sense approach to keeping children in care out of custody

IRO scrutinyĀ in a case which saw a child unlawfully removed from their mother’s care

by National IRO Managers Partnership (NIROMP), posted in News, Policy, Guidance & Law

A local authority has been criticised after an ā€œunbalancedā€ social work assessment led to the illegal removal of a child from their motherā€™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 scrutinyĀ in a case which saw a child unlawfully removed from their mother’s care

ā€œOne of the measures of a civilised society is how well it looks after the most vulnerable members of its society.ā€

by National IRO Managers Partnership (NIROMP), posted in News, Policy, Guidance & Law

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 ā€œOne of the measures of a civilised society is how well it looks after the most vulnerable members of its society.ā€

Get in on the Act …

by National IRO Managers Partnership (NIROMP), posted in Policy, Guidance & Law

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 …

National suicide study calls for better support for children and young people

by National IRO Managers Partnership (NIROMP), posted in Publication / Research / Resource

This new report, commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP).Ā Originally published by University of Manchester: 13 July 2017. Researchers examined the findings from a range of investigations into the deaths by suicide of people aged under 25 between January 2014 and December 2015 in England and Wales. Researchers wanted to find the common themes … Continue reading National suicide study calls for better support for children and young people

Ofsted finds independent reviewing officers need sufficient capacity …

by National IRO Managers Partnership (NIROMP), posted in Good practice / Performance / Improvement, News

The overall effectiveness of Nottingham City Council children's services have been rated "good' following a trial of the new Ofsted inspection framework being introduced next year. However, some services for children are not yet good: 'independent reviewing officers do not have the capacity to sufficiently monitor the progress of childrenā€™s plans between review meetings'. Inspectors … Continue reading Ofsted finds independent reviewing officers need sufficient capacity …

Responsibilities of the Agency Decision Maker for adoption @suesspiciousmin

by National IRO Managers Partnership (NIROMP), posted in News, Policy, Guidance & Law

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

Children coming into the care system under voluntary arrangements

by National IRO Managers Partnership (NIROMP), posted in Policy, Guidance & Law, Publication / Research / Resource, Rights, responsibilities & entitlements

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