The number of applications for children to be taken into care have hit a new record level, official figures have confirmed. During 2016/17 there were a total of 14,544 care applications. Statistics published by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) show that in March 2017, a total of 1,288 care applications […]
Children in care ‘pinballed’ around system, warns children’s commissioner
Nearly three-quarters of children in care have experienced a change in school, home or social worker over a 12-month period, data collated by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner for England has shown. Moving school, care placement and social worker can harm looked-after children’s prospects, says Anne Longfield. Commissioner Anne Longfield’s newly created Stability Index […]
We’re working with children in care to improve mental health
It’s good news that mental health in general, and children’s mental health in particular, is being given increasing attention by the media and greater consideration by policymakers. Yet the mental health and wellbeing of children in care is too often marginalised in these debates. More than 70% of children in care have been diagnosed with […]
Call for Evidence – Fostering Stocktake
Sir Martin Narey and Mark Owers have been appointed by the Secretary of State for Education to conduct a National Fostering Stocktake. As a first step, they are seeking views on the current state of foster care in England and how the prospects of children in care might be improved through changes to fostering. They […]
Digital support for foster carers
HMRC is hosting a live webinar for foster carers, explaining the important tax issues they need to know about. During the webinar they’ll learn about qualifying care relief and how to record this on their tax return, National Insurance, and other important issues, such as the records they’ll need to keep for tax purposes. For […]
Fosterline launches foster recruitment campaign
Fosterline England has today launched a campaign to motivate people from all backgrounds to consider if they can care enough to become a foster carer. The campaign entitled #OneMoreHome commences on May 8, 2017 crosses social media platforms. It encourages everyone who comes into contact with the campaign to show support by using the hashtag, download posters […]
Government agrees to remove ‘different ways of working’ clauses
The Department for Education has agreed to omit clauses 32 to 34 of the Children and Social Work Bill which is due to have its Report Stage on 7 March. The ‘different ways of working’ provisions would have empowered the Secretary of State, at the request of a local authority, to make regulations exempting that […]
National minimum weekly allowances for foster carers
The Government has issued revised figures for the minimum weekly allowances paid to foster carers in 2017-18. Full details of the revised allowances and other financial information for foster carers are provided on the Gov.uk website […]
Views, experiences and perceptions of children in care and care leavers – call for evidence
The National Children’s Bureau and Research in Practice have launched a call for evidence to identify methods used to seek the views, experiences and perceptions of children in care and care leavers and outputs from any activities. The results will be considered by the Children’s Commissioner for England to help inform a future “State of […]
Education Committee fostering inquiry: second evidence session
The Education Committee has held a second public evidence session as part of its inquiry into fostering in England. Questions were put to representatives from local authorities and independent fostering providers with the aim of understanding the relationships between the two and exploring how well the foster care system is currently functioning. The Committee is […]