Childrens social care
How many hats?
Martin Samuels considers the advantages of having one director combining the children’s services and adult social services roles, and looks at what the future holds for the ‘twin hats’ job.
Reset and renew
Steve Crocker outlines the major challenges facing children’s services – getting the right staff and protecting children’s mental health.
Ploughing cash into children's services 'unsustainable,' consultancy claims
There is no link between needs, results and how much money is spent on children’s services, consultancy iMPOWER has claimed.
Tens of thousands fewer children could avoid going into council care
Tens of thousands of young people could avoid going into council care if services are reshaped under a new ‘optimised delivery model’ based on a family-focused way of delivering support, says a report.
EXCLUSIVE: Government has no action plan for improving children's social care
The Government has admitted it does not have a single detailed action plan to deliver high-quality care to all children despite previously claiming one existed.
Councils promised tax overhaul
Reform of council tax, including devolved powers for local authorities, are among the plans in a co-operation agreement between Labour and Plaid Cymru in Wales.
CCN conference: MacAlister moots national children's care service
Some parts of children’s social services may be better provided at a national level, the chair of an independent review has told the County Councils' Network conference.
Avoiding another Lambeth
Richard Scorer says the obvious question hanging over the report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse on the experiences of children in Lambeth’s care is are children safe in local authority care today?
Complaints’ outcomes are open for all of us to shape
This summer’s snapshot of complaints trends paints a ‘fascinating picture’, says local government and social care ombudsman Michael King.
Children 'still at risk'
Young people are still being put at risk by an ineffective child safeguarding process, experts have claimed.
Probing the case for change
The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care must name the causes of today’s child welfare inequalities if it is to hit the mark or it will risk repeating history rather than changing it, argues Kathy Evans.
Helping parents who are struggling alone with abuse from their children
Michelle John explains how PEGS is working with local authorities to equip them to support victims of child to parent abuse (CPA).
'Wide-ranging' government care review 'very imminent'
Children’s minister Vicky Ford has promised that the long-awaited review into the care system is ‘very imminent’ and will be ‘wide ranging’.
Restored visits by Ofsted are ‘not about judging’
Rather than creating something new, Ofsted’s visits from September to schools and social care and early years providers represent an adjustment to get the assurance needed about the decisions being made for children, says Yvette Stanley.
Council concern over falling child referrals
Councils have expressed concerns about falling referrals to children’s social care amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Helping other care leavers in Hull during the coronavirus crisis
Mark Jones outlines how a group of Hull care leavers has set up a walk-by food hub to help others in their position, making more than 20 donations a day.
Aspire towards achievement
Rachel Dickinson argues the review of children’s care in England must challenge the stereotype that care is a bad place to end up and be more ambitious about what children can achieve.
What does a public health approach to childhood trauma look like?
Local government and agencies cannot tackle the deep-rooted problems arising from adverse childhood experiences on their own, says Donna Molloy.
Creating communities for all ages
Bringing younger and older people together produces dividends, says Stephen Burke, who outlines how councils can encourage more intergenerational care and living.
‘Things will not get better: We need radical action’
Neil McInroy argues that a crisis in children’s and adults’ services calls for ‘a new spirit of action which challenges economic and political power’.