An article examined the extent and nature of kinship care in the United Kingdom, drawing on 2001 census micro data. It said that more than 173,000 children were living with relatives, without their parents, and the majority of these lived in poor and deprived circumstances. It highlighted the relevance for policy, and particularly for the needs of carers.
Source: Shailen Nandy and Julie Selwyn, 'Kinship care and poverty: using census data to examine the extent and nature of kinship care in the UK', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 43 Number 8
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Dec
The inspectorate for education and children's services began consultation on proposals to change the framework for inspection of children's homes in England. The consultation would close on 21 February 2014.
Source: Inspection of Children's Homes, Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills
Links: Consultation document | OFSTED press release
Date: 2013-Dec
A Scottish government-backed group published a report from their review of foster care in Scotland. The review had been established to assess a range of potential reforms, and provide direction on policy questions regarding: the organization and management of foster carers; carers' learning and development; and the financial and practical support offered to carers. The report made recommendations in all three areas.
Source: National Foster Care Review: Final report, Looked After Children Strategic Implementation Group, Scottish Government
Links: Report | Survey analysis
Date: 2013-Dec
The inspectorate for education and children's services said that some local authorities did not know enough about the levels of education received by children and young people who were not in full-time education in the usual way. The report said that inspectors had found insufficient provision, low expectations, and poor information sharing. It also said that some local authorities were failing to arrange, and monitor properly the effectiveness of, education for children directly in their care. Recommendations included: better recording of information; better information sharing between relevant organizations; clear lines of responsibility; and ongoing inspection. The report highlighted examples of effective practice.
Source: Pupils Missing Out on Education: Low aspirations, little access, limited achievement, HMI 130048, Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills
Links: Report | OFSTED press release | Guardian report
Date: 2013-Nov
A report examined data on child deaths from 35 individual management reviews undertaken between 2009 and 2013, and data provided by serious incident notifications. The data included seven cases of homicide/suicide, where a parent killed a child or children, then themselves. The report said that there was insufficient data to identify motive, but there was sometimes a mental health element and, in some cases, the act was designed to cause distress to the other parent. The report noted that good safeguarding practice would identify cases of high risk, but it would rarely be possible to identify when, how, or by whom the child/ren would be killed.
Source: Richard Green and Holly Jeapes, Learning from Cafcass Individual Management Reviews (IMRs): Case dynamics, Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service
Links: Report | Cafcass press release
Date: 2013-Nov
An article examined research evidence on independent visitor schemes, and considered what visitors offered to young people. It said that visitors were viewed as friends and sources of support, encouragement and advice, while providing a consistent adult presence for children.
Source: Claire Hurst and Mark Peel, 'What does the Independent Visitor role offer looked after children?', Adoption & Fostering, Volume 37 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Nov
A new book examined how policy had, over time, shaped the role of social workers and other professionals in protecting children and young people.
Source: Nigel Parton, The Politics of Child Protection: Contemporary developments and future directions, Palgrave Macmillan (Publication date: April 2014)
Links: Summary
Date: 2013-Nov
A children's charity published a collection of essays on children's centres. Essay topics included: the purpose of children's centres; key outcomes and indicators from the national evaluation of Sure Start; a call to refocus services on supporting younger children; the case for integrating health services within children's centres; effective services; and the future development of children's centres.
Source: Partnerships for a Better Start: Perspectives on the role of children s centres, National Children s Bureau
Links: Report | NCB press release
Date: 2013-Nov
A report examined the work of children's guardians in care cases in England.
Source: The Work of Children s Guardians in Care Cases, Cafcass
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Nov
A report examined whether children in care and care leavers were receiving the support to which they were entitled. It said that the majority did not think they had all the information they needed about the support they should receive from their local authority. Over one third of children in care did not know whether they had a care plan in place, while only half of care leavers said they had a pathway plan for their transition to independent living. Many were unaware of available financial support for post-16 education, finding work, and setting up home. More than one in five said that their social worker did not conduct visits on a one to one basis.
Source: The Entitlements Inquiry: Report with recommendations, All-Party Parliamentary Group for Looked After Children and Care Leavers
Links: Report | Summary | Who Cares Trust press release | NIACE press release | BBC report
Date: 2013-Nov
An article examined the outcomes for neglected children following structured assessment and intervention. It said that improvement was seen in the level of concern about neglect in 79 per cent of cases, with only 21 per cent showing no improvement. In 59 per cent of cases, concern about neglect was removed completely. It discussed aspects of the engagement by and with parents, and the impact on children.
Source: Tony Long, Michael Murphy, Debbie Fallon, Joan Livesley, Patric Devitt, Moira McLoughlin, and Alison Cavanagh, 'Four-year longitudinal impact evaluation of the Action for Children UK Neglect Project: outcomes for the children, families, Action for Children, and the UK', Child Abuse & Neglect, Online first
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Nov
An article examined the contribution of the first Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) within care proceedings in England and Wales, in the context of changes under the Children and Families Bill of 2013. It concluded that FDAC could play a role in safe reunification at the end of care proceedings, but adaptations would be necessary to meet challenges posed by the new legislation.
Source: Judith Harwin, Bachar Alrouh, Mary Ryan, and Jo Tunnard, 'Strengthening prospects for safe and lasting family reunification: can a Family Drug and Alcohol Court make a contribution?', Journal of Social Welfare & Family Law, Volume 35 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Nov
A serious case review was published by the Bradford Safeguarding Children Board into the case of Hamzah Khan, who died in 2009 at the age of 4 as a result of parental neglect.
Source: A Serious Case Review: Hamzah Khan – the overview report, Bradford Safeguarding Children Board
Links: Report | Summary | Learning and Improvement Report | Statement from Chair of BSCB | Statement from Chair of SCR | Letter from DoE to BSCB Chair | NSPCC press release | Action for Children press release | 4Children press release | Guardian report | BBC report
Date: 2013-Nov
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children announced a new collaboration with the Association of Independent Local Safeguarding Children Board Chairs to hold a central repository of all serious case reviews. The repository would be publicly available to facilitate greater learning from severe instances of child abuse in England for the benefit of professionals in the child care sector.
Source: Press release 25 September 2013, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
Links: NSPCC press release
Date: 2013-Oct
A serious case review was published by the Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board into the case of Keanu Williams, who died in 2011 at the age of 2 as a result of parental abuse.
Source: Birgitta Lundberg, Serious Case Review: In respect of the death of Keanu Williams, Birmingham Safeguarding Children Board
Links: Report | BSCB press release | Key facts | NCB press release | Action for Children press release | Community Care report
Date: 2013-Oct
The government published a cross-departmental strategy for young people leaving care in England.
Source: Care Leaver Strategy: A cross-departmental strategy for young people leaving care, HM Government
Links: Report | Joint press release | NCB press release
Date: 2013-Oct
A report examined the childhood experiences of abuse of young men and women, as well as how they disclosed this abuse and sought help. Although much past research had suggested that few children disclose sexual abuse, this study found that over 80 per cent had tried to tell someone about the abuse.
Source: Debbie Allnock and Pam Miller, No One Noticed, No One Heard: A study of disclosures of childhood abuse, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
Links: Report | NSPCC press release
Date: 2013-Oct
The inspectorate for education and children's services began consultation on proposals to review the effectiveness of Local Safeguarding Children Boards. The consultation was targeted at those who had a specific interest in, or expertise relating to, the effectiveness of the Boards. The closing date for the consultation was 23 October 2013.
Source: Review of the Local Safeguarding Children Board: Consultation document, Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills
Links: Consultation document
Date: 2013-Oct
A report examined how to make better national use of the information collected through the child death review processes.
Source: Jennifer Kurinczuk and Marian Knight, Child Death Reviews: Improving the use of evidence, Department for Education
Date: 2013-Oct
A new book provided a comprehensive guide to safeguarding and child protection in the early years. It considered contemporary developments in early years and safeguarding practice, set out the legal and policy foundations for effective practice, and explored areas of contemporary concern.
Source: James Reid and Steven Burton (eds), Safeguarding and Protecting Children in the Early Years, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2013-Oct
The inspectorate for education and children's services published the outcome of a consultation on the inspection of services for children in need of help and protection, looked-after children, and care leavers.
Source: Responses to Ofsted's Consultation on the Inspection of Services for Children in Need of Help and Protection, Children Looked after and Care Leavers, Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Oct
A think-tank report examined whether Sure Start children's centres were being used to their full potential. It said that local authorities needed to make better use of them to close the gap between rich and poor children. They should return children's centres to their original purpose and target their expenditure on more deprived areas, alongside increased financial transparency. The government should consider lowering the cap on parental income eligibility for tax-free childcare, and reinvest the money in time-limited seed funding that local authorities, early years providers or individual children's centres could bid for to raise the quality of childcare in deprived areas. Outcome-based measures should be developed for all children's centres.
Source: Harriet Waldegrave, Centres of Excellence? The role of children s centres in early intervention, Policy Exchange
Links: Report | Policy Exchange press release | Action for Children press release
Date: 2013-Sep
A report by a committee of MSPs said that too many of Scotland's most vulnerable young people had been left in unsuitable home environments when they should have been taken into care. A shared vision of what success would look like for children in care needed to be established, and resources and processes should be built around that vision.
Source: Report on Decision Making on Whether to Take Children into Care, 10th Report 2013, SP Paper 386, Scottish Parliament Education and Culture Committee
Links: Report | Scottish Parliament press release | Children in Scotland press release | BBC report
Date: 2013-Sep
The coalition government published data on children s homes in England, including information on the children in the homes, and on the quality, location, ownership, and cost of the homes. For the first time, the information included the inspection judgements on the homes of the largest private providers. A comparison was also presented of the inspection judgements on homes owned by local authorities and the private sector, which suggested little difference in quality. Costs in both were high relative to alternatives (such as fostering). The Education Secretary said (in an article in the Daily Telegraph) that the proportion of children placed outside their home local authority area was 'indefensible', and heavily criticized the difficulties involved in accessing information about care homes.
Source: Children s Homes Data Pack, Department for Education | Article by Michael Gove MP (Secretary of State for Education), Daily Telegraph, 12 September 2013
Links: Report | Barnardos press release | Childrens Society press release | LGA press release | BBC report | Community Care report | Daily Mail report | Guardian report | Telegraph report (Gove) | Telegraph report (2)
Date: 2013-Sep
A report said that cuts of £1.5 billion to early intervention funding and a multitude of barriers were stopping many of those families most in need from using children's centres. Many disadvantaged families had very little knowledge of children's centres; a quarter of parents said that they found it difficult to access their local centre because of transport problems; and working parents often struggled to use centres because of their work commitments.
Source: Sam Royston and Laura Rodrigues, Breaking Barriers: How to help children s centres reach disadvantaged families, Children s Society
Links: Report | Childrens Society press release | Nursery World report
Date: 2013-Sep
A report said that local councils in England were putting vulnerable children at risk by failing to carry out proper checks on runaway children once they returned, and warned that official guidance was open to misinterpretation.
Source: Here to Listen? Return interviews provision for young runaways, Children s Society
Links: Report | Childrens Society press release
Date: 2013-Sep
A new book presented the findings of longitudinal research that explored how children in care in Northern Ireland thrived across different placement options.
Source: Dominic McSherry, Montserrat Fargas Malet, and Kerrylee Weatherall, Comparing Long-Term Placements for Young Children in Care: The Care Pathways and Outcomes Study – Northern Ireland, BAAF Adoption and Fostering
Links: Summary | QUB press release
Date: 2013-Sep
A new book presented an international overview of child protection strategy and policy.
Source: Penelope Welbourne and John Dixon (eds), Child Protection and Child Welfare: A global appraisal of cultures, policy and practice, Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Links: Summary
Notes: Chapters included:
Clare Colton and Penelope Welbourne, 'The United Kingdom'
Date: 2013-Sep
The government began consultation on a number of proposals on strengthening the team around looked-after children; securing permanence for looked-after children; improving the status, security, and stability of long-term foster care; and strengthening the requirements for returning children home from care.
Source: Improving Permanence for Looked After Children, Department for Education
Links: Consultation document
Date: 2013-Sep
An article presented findings from qualitative interviews with young people (aged 11-17) who had been referred to children's social care services in England. It explored their experiences of help-seeking and their experiences of receiving help for maltreatment through statutory agencies. Trusting relationships with professionals were essential for young people to disclose maltreatment and/or engage with services. Young people's expectations and needs were not always met by the existing safeguarding system, which needed to become more child-centred.
Source: Alison Jobe and Sarah Gorin, '"If kids don't feel safe they don't do anything": young people's views on seeking and receiving help from children's social care services in England', Child & Family Social Work, Volume 18 Issue 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Sep
An article examined whether there was a pan-European perspective on evidence-based working in child welfare in Europe. It said that the way in which the paradigm was interpreted and put into practice in Europe was largely influenced by regional policies and local viewpoints. The lack of a pan-European perspective might be a strength, because it helped to blend evidence-based working with the need for an inclusive and culturally sensitive child welfare practice.
Source: Hans Grietens, 'Is there a pan-European perspective on evidence-based practice in child welfare? A critical reflection', Journal of Children's Services, Volume 8 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Aug
A report called for a change in the way that children's services were delivered across England. It said that an approach that shared work among a team of social workers, instead of cases being the responsibility of an individual, would help improve the delivery of children's services.
Source: Donald Forrester, David Westlake, Michelle McCann, Angela Thurnham, Guy Shefer, Georgia Glynn, and Mike Killian, Reclaiming Social Work? An evaluation of systemic units as an approach to delivering children s services, Tilda Goldberg Centre for Social Work and Social Care (University of Bedfordshire)
Links: Report | Summary | Bedfordshire University press release
Date: 2013-Aug
An article sought to identify the characteristics of children, their parents, or their social circumstances that were associated with children entering public care. Risk factors included: socio-economic status; maternal age at birth; health risk factors; learning difficulties; membership of a minority-ethnic group; and lone parenthood.
Source: Douglas Simkiss, Nigel Stallard, and Margaret Thorogood, 'A systematic literature review of the risk factors associated with children entering public care', Child: Care, Health and Development, Volume 39 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Aug
A new book examined the concept of vulnerability in social policy, and the relationship between vulnerability and the individual, communities, and society. It looked at how vulnerability had been conceptualized by policy-makers, focusing on early intervention. It considered examples related to disability, homelessness, leaving care, victims of violence, sexual abuse, prison, the internet, and drug use.
Source: Graham Brotherton and Mark Cronin, Working with Vulnerable Children, Young People and Families, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2013-Jul
A review considered the views and experiences of children and young people on child protection systems in Scotland, based on evidence for the period from 2008 to 2013.
Source: Susan Elsley, Kay Tisdall, and Emma Davidson, Children and Young People's Views on Child Protection Systems in Scotland, Scottish Government
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Jul
An article reviewed interventions designed to support looked-after children in school. No study was found robust enough to provide evidence on effectiveness: but promising interventions were identified. The review highlighted the lack of evidence in an area that had received a lot of policy attention in recent years. Future evaluations needed to be underpinned by lessons learned from existing evaluations, clearly defined theories and definitions, and by the views of professionals, researchers, policy-makers and young people in care.
Source: Kristin Liabo, Kerry Gray, and David Mulcahy, 'A systematic review of interventions to support looked-after children in school', Child & Family Social Work, Volume 18 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Jul
A report presented findings from the first wave of detailed fieldwork regarding the organization and delivery of children's centre services. This fieldwork aimed to assess: the range of activities and services that centres delivered; partnership working methods; leadership and management; evidence-based practice; and area profiling of centre 'reach'. Children's centres were increasingly targeting services at disadvantaged families, and broadening their geographical reach.
Source: Jenny Goff, James Hall, Kathy Sylva, Teresa Smith, George Smith, Naomi Eisenstadt, Pam Sammons, Maria Evangelou, Rebecca Smees, and Kityu Chu, Evaluation of Children s Centres in England (ECCE) Strand 3: Delivery of Family Services by Children s Centres, Research Report 297, Department for Education
Links: Report | Brief | Action for Children press release | Children & Young People Now report
Date: 2013-Jul
An article said that the lack of a pan-European perspective on evidence-based practice in child welfare might be a strength, because it helped to blend evidence-based working with the need for inclusive and culturally sensitive child welfare practice.
Source: Hans Grietens, 'Is there a pan-European perspective on evidence-based practice in child welfare? A critical reflection', Journal of Children's Services, Volume 8 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Jul
An article compared the effect of two methods of mobilization – doorstep canvassing and postal appeals – on family attendance at early childhood Sure Start centres in England. No evidence was found of a significant difference in attendance between different groups in the trial: neither visits nor leaflets were effective in encouraging non-attenders to go to Sure Start.
Source: Sarah Cotterill, Peter John, and Alice Moseley, 'Does mobilisation increase family engagement with an early childhood intervention programme? A randomised controlled trial', Policy & Politics, Volume 41 Number 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Jul
A paper examined suicide and self-harm among children in care and care-leavers. Multi-agency policies, guidance, and recording were all essential parts of the response.
Source: Judy Furnivall, Understanding Suicide and Self-Harm amongst Children in Care and Care Leavers, Insight 21, Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services
Links: Paper
Date: 2013-Jul
A report by an all-party group of MPs said that action was needed to improve the performance of Sure Start children's centres. It said that children's centres should measure and compare outcomes for the children and families they worked with over the longer term, at least until the point that children started school. Local authorities should monitor the relative performance of children's centres in their area, and share information on best practice.
Source: Best Practice for a Sure Start: The way forward for children's centres, All Party Parliamentary Sure Start Group
Links: Report | Action for Children press release | Voice press release
Date: 2013-Jul
A report by a committee of MPs said that recent criminal cases had highlighted 'catastrophic multi-agency failures' over child sexual exploitation. The police, social services, and Crown Prosecution Service all needed to bear responsibility for the way in which vulnerable children had been left unprotected by the system. All local authorities needed to ensure that there was sufficient funding for prevention within the budget of any multi-agency team tasked with tackling child sexual exploitation.
Source: Child Sexual Exploitation and the Response to Localised Grooming, Second Report (Session 2013-14), HC 68, House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee, TSO
Links: Report | Committee press release | Childrens Society press release | Railway Children press release | BBC report | Daily Mail report | Guardian report | Public Finance report | Telegraph report
Date: 2013-Jun
The social care standards inspectorate in Wales published the findings from a review of children in need, focusing on safety, health, education, and quality of life. Some local authorities were seeking to transform children's social services by restoring the focus on the social work relationship and the skills and professional judgement of social workers. But social work practice at times was bureaucratic and focused on systems rather than people; and children and young people and their families reported that their relationships with social workers were poor.
Source: Making a Difference: Achieving good outcomes for children, young people and their families in Wales, Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales
Links: Report
Date: 2013-Jun
The government began consultation on proposals to overhaul children's residential care in England, and tackle 'system-wide failings'. It said that the proposed reforms would lead to a much sharper focus on transparency, a drive for higher quality in care homes, and stricter measures to hold local authorities and care homes to account for their decisions. A second consultation document proposed measures designed to ensure the safeguarding and welfare of looked-after children who were placed out of authority in distant placements. A third consultation document proposed revised statutory guidance on children who ran away and went missing from home or care, designed to reflect (among other things) widespread concerns about children in care being sexually exploited.
Source: Reforming Children's Homes Care: Consultation on changes to the Children's Homes Regulations 2001 (As Amended) and the Care Standards Act 2000 (Registration) (England) Regulations 2010, Department for Education | Improving Safeguarding for Looked after Children: Consultation on changes to the Care Planning, Placement and Case Review (England) Regulations 2010, Department for Education | Statutory Guidance on Children who Run Away or Go Missing from Home or Care, Department for Education
Links: Consultation document (1) | Consultation document (2) | Consultation document (3) | DE press release | Barnardos press release | Childrens Society press release | LGA press release | NCB press release | BBC report | Community Care report
Date: 2013-Jun
An article examined moral panics and child protection social work. It said that 'claims-making' had had a detrimental effect on child protection, contributing to: a coarsening of attitudes towards families in child protection work; a retreat from preventative practice; and a deterioration in relationships between social workers, service users, and members of the public more generally.
Source: Gary Clapton, Viviene Cree, and Mark Smith, 'Moral panics, claims-making and child protection in the UK', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 43 Number 4
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Jun
A report called for radical changes to the way that care leavers were supported in England. It said that the cut-off age for support should be raised from 21 to 25 for all care leavers; that children in foster care should be allowed to remain with their foster carers until they were at least 21 if they wished; and that 'virtual school' head teachers should champion the educational attainment of looked-after children in each local authority up to the age of 25.
Source: Still Our Children: Case for reforming the leaving care system in England, Barnardo's (with six other charities)
Links: Report | Barnardos press release | Catch22 press release | WCT press release | LGA press release
Date: 2013-May
A report examined children's advocacy in child protection cases. It highlighted research showing that in a significant number of cases involving death or serious abuse, the child's views had not been properly considered. It called for children to have a legal right to an independent advocate who could fully express their views in suspected cases of abuse and neglect.
Source: Mary Lagaay and Laura Courtney, Time to Listen: Independent advocacy within the child protection process, National Children s Bureau
Links: Report | NCB press release
Date: 2013-May
An inspectorate report in Scotland welcomed a number of recent improvements in child protection services. Leadership and co-operation were strong; staff were confident about raising concerns; and there was more action to protect particularly vulnerable groups of children. But there was too little contact from social workers with children who just missed the threshold for being on the child protection register, or who had just come off it. Faster intervention was needed when parents could not meet their children's needs. Services also needed to ask more challenging questions about their own performance.
Source: Child Protection Services: Findings of Joint Inspections 2009–12, Care Inspectorate
Links: Report | Care Inspectorate press release | BBC report
Date: 2013-May
A report provided findings from a survey of families who were using Sure Start children's centres when their child was 9-18 months of age (as part of a larger evaluation of children's centres in England). Satisfaction with services and activities was generally very high: just under half of parents (49 per cent) said that they were 'very satisfied' and a further 29 per cent said that they were 'fairly satisfied'. For each of the 22 service categories, the majority of users considered them to be 'very helpful'; and the proportion of users who rated them as 'very' or 'fairly helpful' ranged from 88 per cent to 100 per cent.
Source: Ruth Maisey, Svetlana Speight, and Sarah Haywood, with James Hall, Pamela Sammons, David Hussey, Jenny Goff, Maria Evangelou, and Kathy Sylva, Evaluation of Children s Centres in England (ECCE) Strand 2: Baseline Survey of Families Using Children s Centres in the Most Disadvantaged Areas, Research Report 260, Department for Education
Date: 2013-Apr
A report by a committee of MSPs called for greater coherence between the systems intended to protect vulnerable children.
Source: Interim Report on Inquiry into Decision Making on Whether to Take Children into Care, 3rd Report 2013, SP Paper 300, Scottish Parliament Education and Culture Committee
Links: Report | Scottish Parliament press release
Date: 2013-Apr
A report presented 19 indicators of child protection to give a picture of how many children were being harmed. For every child subject to a protection plan, or on child protection registers, another 8 had suffered recent maltreatment. An estimated 520,000 children were maltreated by a parent or guardian in 2011: but only 58,000 became the subject of child protection plans in that year. It would cost up to half a billion pounds every year to provide protection plans to just one-quarter of these 'hidden' children. But preventative services that worked with struggling parents before, or as soon as, issues arose could stop the need for costly protection measures later and make huge savings in both financial and human terms.
Source: Lisa Harker, Sonja Jutte, Tom Murphy, Holly Bentley, Pam Miller, and Kate Fitch, How Safe Are Our Children?, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
Links: Report | NSPCC press release | CSW press release | Telegraph report
Date: 2013-Apr
The government announced plans (based on an expert group report) to improve the quality of residential children's homes. Children's homes would be required to notify local councils when children moved in from other areas, and to carry out a risk assessment of their local area alongside police and the local authority to make sure that children were safe from sexual exploitation, gangs, and other threats.
Source: Press release 24 April 2013, Department for Education | Report of the Expert Group on the Quality of Children's Homes, Department for Education
Links: DE press release | Expert report
Date: 2013-Apr
The report of an independent inquiry said that England's care system was still failing children. A fresh approach was needed to ensure that local authorities provided good care, based on need rather than legal status. When children moved placements, important relationships were often broken and lost. The system was not flexible enough, basing decisions about support for children and their carers on legal status rather than specific need. More attention needed to be given to support for children returning home from care or those living with kin carers or in foster homes. Whatever their legal status, all care options needed to be treated as equally valid and given the same political, financial, and cultural priority by local and central government.
Source: Making Not Breaking: Building relationships for our most vulnerable children, The Care Inquiry
Links: Report | Inquiry press release | ADCS press release | BAAF press release | Childrens Commissioner press release | Coram press release | CSW press release | LGA press release | WCT press release | Community Care report
Date: 2013-Apr
The inspectorate for education and children's services said that it was abandoning plans for separate inspections of child protection and looked-after children services. Instead it would bring in a single inspection framework for all social services involving children, including adoption and fostering. It also announced that it was deferring plans to involve five other inspectorates in assessing child protection services.
Source: Press release 12 April 2013, Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills
Links: OFSTED press release | ADCS press release | BASW press release | Community Care report | Public Finance report
Date: 2013-Apr
An inspectorate report in Scotland said that most looked-after children who died from intentional self-harm had previously self-harmed or threatened to do so. It recommended a risk assessment and management plan for all looked-after children who self-harmed or threatened to self-harm.
Source: A Report into the Deaths of Looked After Children in Scotland 2009-2011, Care Inspectorate
Links: Report | Care Inspectorate press release
Date: 2013-Apr
An article examined factors affecting outcomes for neglected children, based on a five-year follow-up study in England of looked-after children who had been returned to their family. Half of the returns had broken down after two years, rising to almost two-thirds after five years. Rates of repeat neglect and abuse were also high. Earlier intervention, more protective and proactive action, and better planning for children's futures – particularly for older children – were needed if outcomes were to be improved.
Source: Eleanor Lutman and Elaine Farmer, 'What contributes to outcomes for neglected children who are reunified with their parents? Findings from a five-year follow-up study', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 43 Number 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Apr
Directors of children's services in England published a position statement on the care system for adolescents. It examined whether there might be alternative models better suited to the needs of adolescents, looked at the balance of parenting responsibility between the state and a young person's family, and made some recommendations for improvements. The care system was ill-equipped to meet the needs of those who first entered care as adolescents. There was a need to rethink the way care was structured, and to begin to commission care places based on outcomes. But there was also a need for a radical review of the way in which community-based services worked together to meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable children in society.
Source: What Is Care For: Alternative Models of Care for Adolescents, Association of Directors of Children's Services
Links: Statement | ADCS press release
Date: 2013-Apr
An article examined child protection social work through the lens of 'moral panic'. It considered in particular anxiety over internet use by children and young people, exemplified by the activities of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre and its 'global online charter'.
Source: Gary Clapton, Viv Cree, and Mark Smith, 'Moral panics and social work: towards a sceptical view of UK child protection', Critical Social Policy, Volume 33 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Apr
An article examined whether the concept of social capital was helpful in explaining the educational underachievement of looked-after children. The educational attainments of children did reflect key factors in their backgrounds before entry to care: but their characteristics also led them to be placed in specific placements that had differing abilities for promoting social capital.
Source: Michele McClung and Vernon Gayle, 'Social capital as a mechanism for exploring the low educational achievements of looked after children', Journal of Children's Services, Volume 8 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Mar
A new book examined public inquiries and serious case reviews into child abuse, highlighting the 'dynamics of hostility and aggression' that contributed to the failure to protect children.
Source: Siobhan Laird, Child Protection: Managing conflict, hostility and aggression, Policy Press
Links: Summary
Date: 2013-Mar
The High Court ruled that a local council had been wrong to pay more money to foster parents who were unrelated to the children they cared for than those who brought up the children of family or friends.
Source: X, R (on the application of) v London Borough of Tower Hamlets, High Court 8 March 2013
Links: Judgement | Telegraph report
Date: 2013-Mar
An article examined policy and practice in relation to the education of looked-after children in Scotland. There was evidence of considerable infrastructural development, both in the looked-after children sector and more widely in education services. There was also evidence of improvement in outcomes, notably in school attendance and the attainment of children in out-of-home care. Although outcomes generally still lagged behind those of children who were not looked after, those of children who were looked after while remaining in the family home remained relatively resistant to improvement.
Source: Graham Connelly and Judy Furnivall, 'Addressing low attainment of children in public care: the Scottish experience', European Journal of Social Work, Volume 16 Issue 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Mar
The coalition government published (following consultation) revised statutory guidance clarifying the core legal requirements on individuals and organizations to keep children safe. It set out the requirements that health services, social workers, police, schools, and other organizations that worked with children, needed to follow with effect from 15 April 2013.
Source: Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, Department for Education
Links: Guidance | Impact assessment | Equality impact assessment | NHS guidance | Hansard | DE press release | Action for Children press release | ADCS press release | Barnardos press release | Childrens Society press release | CSW press release | LGA press release | RCN press release | Community Care report
Date: 2013-Mar
Researchers provided a systematic analysis of neglect in serious case reviews (local multi-agency reviews of child deaths or serious injury where abuse or neglect was known or suspected) in England between 2003 and 2011. Neglect was much more prevalent in serious case reviews than had previously been understood (neglect was found in 60 per cent of the 139 reviews from 2009 to 2011). Neglect could be life-threatening and needed to be treated with as much urgency as other categories of maltreatment. Neglect with the most serious outcomes was not confined to the youngest children, and occurred across all ages.
Source: Marian Brandon, Sue Bailey, Pippa Belderson, and Birgit Larsson, Neglect and Serious Case Reviews, National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
Links: Report | NSPCC press release | BBC report | Community Care report
Date: 2013-Mar
A new book examined what could be done to support young people to remain at home; and if this was not possible, how they could be supported while in care and on leaving care. It explored the range of options – foster care, children's homes, and adoption – and how these options interacted.
Source: Julie Shaw and Nick Frost, Young People and the Care Experience: Research, policy and practice, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2013-Mar
An article examined findings from a mapping exercise on the implementation of children s trust arrangements in England in 2008 and 2009. There had been an increase in the number of children s trusts implementing joint and strategic working: but not all agencies under a statutory duty were represented on the boards, and joint commissioning arrangements had declined.
Source: Carol Devanney and Richard Wistow, 'Mapping the implementation of children s trust arrangements', Journal of Children's Services, Volume 8 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Feb
A report said that local councils in England and Wales were failing to provide adequate specialist support for runaway children and young people. Local authorities needed to keep better records of missing children, and ensure that there was a dedicated runaway project in their area.
Source: Louise Starks, Sally Kendall, and James Whitley, REACH: A new model of intervention for children before, during and after they run away, Railway Children
Links: Report | Summary | Railway Forum press release | OCC press release | Community Care report
Date: 2013-Feb
An article examined whether the concept of social capital was helpful in explaining the educational under-achievement of looked-after children in Scotland.
Source: Michele McClung and Vernon Gayle, 'Social capital as a mechanism for exploring the low educational achievements of looked after children', Journal of Children's Services, Volume 8 Number 1
Links: Abstract
Date: 2013-Feb
The government (and the children's services inspectorate) responded to a report by a committee of MPs on the child protection system in England.
Source: Children First: The child protection system in England -Responses from the Government and Ofsted to the Committee's Fourth Report, Fourth Special Report (Session 2012–13), HC 993, House of Commons Education Select Committee, TSO
Links: Response | Action for Children press release
Notes: MPs report (November 2012)
Date: 2013-Feb
A report said that 9 out of 10 teachers, police officers, and social workers were regularly coming into contact with children they suspected were suffering from neglect: yet as many as 40 per cent said they felt powerless to intervene.
Source: Brigid Daniel et al., The State of Child Neglect in the UK: Recommendations for the UK government, Action for Children
Links: Report | Action for Children press release | Stirling University press release
Date: 2013-Feb
An interim report presented the findings from the early phases of the research into the longer-term impacts of safeguarding children peer reviews.
Source: Jennifer Jeffes and Kerry Martin, The Longer-Term Impact of Safeguarding Children Peer Reviews, National Foundation for Educational Research
Date: 2013-Feb
The inspectorate for education and children's services said that urgent action was needed to establish a single register to accurately track the number of children who went missing in England.
Source: Missing Children, HMI 120364, Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills
Links: Report | OFSTED press release | Childrens Society press release | BBC report | Community Care report
Date: 2013-Feb