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 […]
Additional funding for care leavers announced
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has announced new support for young people leaving the care system including £19 million of investment into programmes that directly benefit care leavers in England. The new funding includes £10 million to expand Staying Put, a programme designed to create stable homes for care leavers as they become adults; £6 million […]
Looked-after children miss out on right to independent visitors
Increasing numbers of children in care are waiting to be matched with independent visitors, with some councils admitting to not providing the statutory service at all, new research shows. A Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted by Barnardo’s revealed that 1,202 looked-after children were missing out on their legal right to be matched with a visitor, which […]