A new strategy to transform the life chances of children in care waiting to be adopted has been unveiled by Education Secretary Nicky Morgan: New #adoption strategy unveiled - 'A watershed moment' https://t.co/CZkDJcWAhT @NickyMorgan01 pic.twitter.com/J0SXyfXbD2 — DfE (@educationgovuk) March 27, 2016 Andrew Christie has been appointed to drive forward the strategy: Andrew Christie has been … Continue reading New blueprint for adoption
IROs and social workers will be interested to read this piece about relinquished babies. Relinquished baby, chapter and some verses Author: suesspiciousminds First posted: 8 Mar 2016 via suesspiciousminds 'I just ended up doing this long summary of the various issues that arise and where to find the answers in case law, so I thought it might … Continue reading Relinquished baby
Photo credit: Mataparda via Foter.com / CC BY A 10-year-old boy has been awarded £5,000 after His Honour Judge Rundell ruled his human rights had been breached while in local authority care: I have found the local authority and the IRO service, both public authorities, on their own admissions, to be seriously at fault and … Continue reading IRO service & local authority Human Rights breach
The number of applications for children to be taken into care in England has hit an all-time high. In February 2016, Cafcass received a total of 1,225 care applications. This figure represents a 27% increase compared to those received in January 2015 and an increase of 9.4 per cent, or 105 applications, on the previous record … Continue reading Care applications hit an all-time record high
Social work practice with families is becoming increasingly about mutual distrust and fear, says Maggie Mellon - current Vice Chair of BASW. Read the full article at source: Have parents become the enemy in social work?
The new regulations on the assessment of Special Guardianship Orders (SGOs) are set to come into effect on 29 February 2016. Download the Reg's here: The Special Guardianship (Amendment) Regulations 2016 New guidance focuses on strengthening the assessment process. Professionals will now need to evidence the Special Guardian’s relationship with the child, as well as their parenting capacity … Continue reading The new Special Guardianship (Amendment) Regulations 2016
Findings from small-scale research Worth reading this research paper by Sophie Boswell and Lynne Cudmore, child psychotherapists. The paper considers children's attachment and emotional needs and the role of foster carers during the transition from foster care to adoption. The research findings are explored in the light of an attachment and loss in childhood perspective, and of … Continue reading Transition planning : foster care to adoption
By now we should all know of the recent developments in case-law in respect of the use (and misuse) of section 20, Children Act 1989 by local authorities when children are voluntarily accommodated in their care. Now Leicester Designated Family Judge, HHJ Bellamy, has issued local section 20 practice guidance. Read more here via Family Law: … Continue reading HHJ Bellamy issues local section 20 practice guidance
How can children in care be supported to have meaningful and safe contact with siblings, if they want to? The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Looked After Children and Care Leavers held a meeting on 28th October 2015 to discuss this very issue. The meeting was attended by 94 children, young people and professionals. Particular note was given to … Continue reading Protecting & preserving the bond between siblings
New articles have been added to our Library. Check out the following sections and thank you so much to all the Authors for sharing their publications. Care We are grateful to Jameel Hadi Lecturer in Social Work, University of Salford for this article. Jameel is a member of The National Association of Youth Justice and The Howard League. In February … Continue reading New in the Library
