Social work charity Frontline and the Centre for Public Impact have published a blueprint outlining a new model for children’s social care based on the Buurtzorg approach to district nursing in the Netherlands. Benefits of the proposed model include: a.60% increase in the face-to-face time social workers spend with children and families due to reductions […]
Care-experienced children and young people: mental health
The National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS) has published a report to support their Looked after Minds campaign to highlight the lack of mental health support for care-experienced children and young people. Recommendations include: all children and young people receiving any tier of mental health support services should have an offer of independent advocacy services, enshrined […]
Homeless young people
Centrepoint has published a report looking at homelessness and young people. Figures from Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to local authorities in England were used to estimate that during October, November and December 2018 over 22,000 under-25-year-olds approached a local authority for help because they were homeless or at risk of homelessness. Findings from […]
Child and adolescent mental health
Mind has released previously unseen NHS England data showing cancellations of Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) appointments in England. Figures show that the number of appointments cancelled by the NHS provider between August 2018 and July 2019 was 175,094, an increase of 34,767 cancellations (24.8%) on the previous 12 months. Further details […]
School exclusions in England
JUSTICE has published a working party report, examining the processes used to make and review a decision to exclude permanently a pupil in England. The report calls for change to the current system, and makes recommendations including: better training for schools on excluding pupils; more consistent consideration of unmet needs, particularly special educational and […]
Fostering statistics
Ofsted has published statistics on fostering in England for 2018/19. Figures show that on 31 March 2019, 54,870 children and young people were placed with foster carers, a 3% increase from last year. Further details are available here > […]
Unregulated placements for under-16s in care
Children & Young People Now reports that Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, in a letter seen by the BBC sent to council chief executives in England, calls for councils to review all placements of looked-after children in unregulated and unregistered provision, paying particular attention in relation to under-16s. Further details are available here > […]
Children and young people’s experiences in care
Ofsted has published findings from their annual questionnaire looking at children and young people’s experiences of living with foster carers, in children’s homes and in boarding schools in England. Findings from responses from over 6,000 children include: 94%. said they were well looked after always or most of the time; 88% said that there […]
Fosterline England Launch new Website to Reduce National Shortage of Foster Carers
The UK is experiencing a shortage of skilled foster carers and Fosterline England was set up to improve the access to information for people who are considering fostering as well as those who are already fostering. In November 2019, Fosterline England launched their new website which features an online chat, fostering assessment quiz, up […]
Independent Visitors for children in care
Barnardo’s report that responses to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request sent to 152 local authorities in England show an increase in children in care who are not matched with an Independent Visitor, adult volunteers who provide support to children in care. The FOI shows that: 1,202 children were waiting to be matched with […]