S (Recognising The Role of the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO)) [2018] EWFC 71 (08 November 2018)

This is a reported case from a Circuit Judge, so not binding, but very interesting.Ā Ā  Effectively the IRO backed a plan of adoption based in part on abysmal home conditions, but had not been told by the social worker of dramatic improvements. 17.Ā Ā  The IRO Handbook places a high burden on social workers to ensure … Continue reading S (Recognising The Role of the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO)) [2018] EWFC 71 (08 November 2018)

Keynote by Rt. Hon. Sir Andrew McFarlane ā€œCrisis; What Crisis?ā€

Rt. Hon. Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division recently Key Note Address: ā€œCrisis; What Crisis?ā€Association of Lawyers for Children Conference 2018Ā 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 ā€œCrisis; What Crisis?ā€

Families must be diverted away from courts, Trowler report argues

The government must do more to divert families with ā€˜entrenched’ problems away from the courts, research by the chief children’s social worker has concluded. The ā€˜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

The Untold, Fighting for My Niece | BBC radio 4

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

Zahawi announces plans to extend DfE innovation projects to more councils | Children & Young People Now

How will the £84m funding announcement to expand Leeds, Hertfordshire and North Yorkshire's innovation projects make a difference to the sector as a whole? Read more at source: Zahawi announces plans to extend DfE innovation projects to more councils | Children & Young People Now

Hearing the voices of children in care | LocalGov

Every year the Department for Education publishes official statistics on children in care. These statistics tell us how many children live in foster care or in a children's home, what proportion moved placement and educational outcomes. What is missing from these numbers is the voice of children and young people living in care themselves. How … Continue reading Hearing the voices of children in care | LocalGov

How a care-leaver self-published his childhood story and was invited to European Parliament | Ben Westwood

How a care-leaver self-published his childhood story and was invited to European Parliament Please watch and share:Ā  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voFxd1BjqeE   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0UUGfuvoFI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9rCSGKxyJo In less than a year debut-author, street musician and care-leaver Ben Westwood’s book Poems From a Runaway has gone from strength-to-strength as social workers, foster parents, missing children’s charities and safeguarding boards embrace his … Continue reading How a care-leaver self-published his childhood story and was invited to European Parliament | Ben Westwood

Staying close and staying connected in East Anglia | SCIE #ECLCM

Featured article - 13 November 2018 via SCIE By Rachel Leslie, Project Implementation Manager, Break - Changing Young Lives Cambridgeshire and Norfolk are developing their arrangements for supporting young people as they leave residential care. Staying close and staying connected in East Anglia - definitely one to watch. Read more:Ā Staying close and staying connected in … Continue reading Staying close and staying connected in East Anglia | SCIE #ECLCM

Given the paradox of the care system, how can we possibly know what is the best way to improve it? #careexpconf

'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

Budgeting for the long-term | ADCS

'Local authorities are ambitious about improving outcomes for children but our ability to do this is being compromised by a 50% reduction in our budgets since 2010 ... Read the full piece at source:Ā Budgeting for the long-term | ADCS President, Stuart Gallimore Pressures in the safeguarding system Next month, ADCS publishes the latest phase of … Continue reading Budgeting for the long-term | ADCS