News articles relating to our fostering support services that WillisPalmer operates nationwide through a diverse team of around 300 qualified social workers, all of whom have a minimum of seven years post-qualifying experience; 20 years on average.
Expert’s Corner with Philip King
Clare Jerrom speaks to Philip King about his views on the fostering stocktake
The recently published Fostering Stocktake appears to have divided opinion among the children’s services sector. While its thoroughness and spotlight on the foster care sector has been applauded by many, others have slammed some of the recommendations and [...]
Children’s leaders back plans to scrap IRO
Plans to allow local authorities to scrap the role of Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) have been welcomed by children’s services leaders.
The recently published Fostering Stocktake suggested that councils should be able to do away with the IRO role, reinvesting any savings in frontline children’s services.
While the proposals have been met with criticism [...]
Number of children ‘Staying Put’ falls
The number of children in foster care ‘Staying Put' after their 18th birthday has reduced drastically last year.
In 2015-16, 2,190 young people stayed with foster parents after turning 18. However this fell to 1,570 young people in 2016-17, Ofsted figures show. In 2015-16, 54% of foster children were supported to stay with their carers [...]
Government funds five new Regional Adoption Agencies
The government has announced £3.4 million funding to create five new Regional Adoption Agencies.
Regional Adoption Agencies were created to bring together groups of local councils to work together on adoption. The regional agencies help widen the pool of potential adoptive families and help match children awaiting adoption with the most suitable family as quickly [...]
‘Life-changing’ initiative available to just one in five care leavers
There is only sufficient government funding to provide a ‘life-changing initiative’ to one in five care leavers, the Local Government Association has warned.
From 1 April, councils will have a new duty to provide eligible care leavers aged 21 to 25 with a personal adviser to ensure that they are provided with the practical and emotional [...]
Stocktake recommendations could ‘weaken protection of children’
Several of the fostering stocktake’s recommendations risk weakening the protection of vulnerable children, a coalition of children’s organisations and experts has warned.
The fostering stocktake published last month by Sir Martin Narey and Mark Owers made 36 recommendations for the future of fostering including establishing a national register to better match foster children and prospective [...]
