Safeguarding
To dismiss or not?
Louise Carr examines the fairness of dismissing employees facing criminal, safeguarding and other investigations, and says there is no easy approach other than looking carefully at the facts.
Overprotected? – powers of attorney and deputyship
Britney Spears’ conservatorship has thrown the spotlight on the powers of the court to impose restrictions on vulnerable people. Saara Idelbi argues that councils are likely to have the best view of the safeguarding actions needed.
Keeping the safety net
Local authority leadership is invaluable to Transitional Safeguarding and councils are ideally placed to enable complexity-attuned commissioning, says Dez Holmes.
School transport contractor axed over safeguarding concerns
Birmingham City Council said the contract had been terminated following a breach of terms.
Review finds safeguarding 'gaps' at Wirral
A serious case review identified ‘gaps’ in Wirral MBC’s protection of children in foster care.
The Lambeth report is a warning to us all
The historic abuse of looked-after children in Lambeth LBC is about the worst example of what happens when a toxic political culture poisons the entire authority, says Michael Burton.
We’re in this for the long haul
Six years on from the Jay report into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, council leader Cllr Chris Read says Government must support local authorities in the fight against abuse. But his organisation is ‘not waiting for national improvements’.
Everybody has failed
Children were ‘pawns in a toxic power game’, according to the report of the Independent inquiry into child sexual abuse (IICSA) in Lambeth. Ann McGauran asks if the council has learned all the lessons from its horrific past.
The value of licensing tools for councils
Nicola Ray offers advice to councils on the best way of collaborating with an external tech supplier to improve digital systems’ standards and safety as they move from legacy to cloud.
Children abused for decades under care of Lambeth LBC, inquiry finds
Hundreds of children were subjected to decades of cruelty and sexual abuse while in the care of Lambeth LBC, a damning inquiry has found.
Councillors to bring supported housing closer to home
Senior Haringey LBC councillors have moved to develop supported housing for young people with complex learning disabilities and autism within their own borough.
Call for 'radical system change' after children's home claims
A charity chief has called for ‘radical system change’ after whistleblowers claimed youngsters with autism were ‘abused’ and mistreated at a Cardiff children’s home.
Call to tackle children's services 'postcode lottery'
National standards are needed to tackle variation in the quality of children’s services, the House of Lords' Public Services Committee has heard.
Support when and where it’s needed
An animation about a young woman on the edge of care gives staff and families an easy explanation of how the No Wrong Door approach works, says Sally Britton.
Domestic abuse victim funding fails to meet demands
New funding to support victims of domestic abuse does not go far enough, campaigners have argued.
Advocacy services remain crucial despite COVID pressures
Councils must ensure social care providers understand that the legal obligations to refer to advocacy services remain fully in place during COVID, says Jonathan Senker.
A very blunt instrument
Carolyne Willow says it is to this Government’s shame that it found time to carry out a ‘massive deregulation project during COVID-19, yet failed to introduce any legal protections for over 6,000 looked-after children in unregulated accommodation’.
Rising to the back-to-school challenge
Newham is anticipating an increase in demand for services as schools return, says Tim Aldridge, and COVID-19 has thrown a spotlight on existing inequalities.
Responding to the rise in parental conflict during lockdown
Despite a divergence in referral rates during COVID, research has found that councils are responding dynamically to deliver services, says Virginia Ghiara of the Early Intervention Foundation.
We must find a way to invest in our future
The ‘hidden harms’ to children over the past six months will be uncovered when schools fully open in September. We need an urgent and transparent discussion about funding, says Jenny Coles.
