Entitlement to an Individual Savings Account Among the various entitlements that a child in care has are the requirement for the local authority children's services to provide arrangements for the child or young person to have an Individual Savings Account (ISA). DownloadĀ theĀ Statutory Guidance here: Junior individual saving accounts for looked-after children InformationĀ about Junior ISAs for … Continue reading Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs): Looked After Children
Following discussion of the issues raised in an oral evidence session with the Childrenās Commissioner on 6 January 2016, the Education Committee has taken further evidence on the role of the Childrenās Commissioner. Watch the meeting:Ā here Read the oral evidence here:Ā The Childrenās Commissioner for England The deadline for receipt of written submissions is midday … Continue reading Children’s Commissioner for England: Committee re-opens inquiry
Community Care has released another article concerning aĀ Deprivation of Liberty judgement.Ā The case concerned a teenage boy, known as D, with multiple disabilities who was being cared for in a secure hospital setting and was subsequently moved to a residential placement.Ā Read the story here:Ā "Latest deprivation of liberty ruling has āhuge implicationsā for childrenās social workers". The … Continue reading Latest deprivation of liberty ruling
Note: this is an updated post fromĀ October 2015. This latest post includes some additional recommended reading.Ā Sharon Shoesmith found herself scapegoated and huntedĀ following the death of Peter Connelly in Haringey, the authority in which she worked as head of childrenās services at the time. More than anyone, she knows what itās like to feel the … Continue reading Don’t meet blame with blame: we need to understand it
Greenwich council's failure to provide proper immigration advice may have led to the girl losing her right to remain in the UK. Read full story via Community Care: Council to pay looked-after child Ā£5,000 compensation for immigration advice failures Asylum Support More information via Gov.UK: Overview of support Asylum helplines More information, advice and resources … Continue reading Council to pay looked-after child Ā£5,000 compensation for immigration advice failures
The Refugee Childrenās Consortium and the Alliance for Children in Care and Care Leavers would like to invite you to attend a parliamentary briefing event discussing the impact of the Immigration Bill on Care Leavers. The event will provide Members of Parliament and Peers of the House of Lords an opportunity to hear about how … Continue reading The Impact of the Immigration Bill on Care Leavers
By now we should all know of theĀ 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. Ā 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 withĀ siblings, if they want to? The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Looked After Children and Care Leavers held a meeting on 28thĀ October 2015 to discuss this very issue. The meeting was attended byĀ 94 children, young people and professionals. Particular note was givenĀ to … Continue reading Protecting & preserving the bond between siblings
International Child Abduction Unit The International Child Abduction and Contact Unit has published a form and guidance notes for local authorities to use in child protection cases to make a request for co-operation to another country. The form is intended to help local authorities check their request is covered by the Regulation or Convention and … Continue reading Care cases with an international element
The House of Commons Education Committee has launched an inquiry on social work reform based on a memorandum from the Department for Education outlining the governmentās approach. The Committee invites written submissions on the governmentās approach to childrenās social work reform. The deadline for receipt of written submissions is midday onĀ Friday 4 March 2016. It … Continue reading Social Work Reform: Call for Written Evidence – England
