New President of Family Division appointed
The Rt Hon Sir Andrew McFarlane has been appointed as the President of the Family Division.
Sir Andrew McFarlane, who was called to the Bar in 1977 and took Silk (Queen’s Counsel) in 1998, had his appointment as the President of the Family Division approved by the Queen. He will take up the role on 28 [...]
Funding for children of alcohol-dependent parents is insufficient
Council leaders have warned that the government funding to help the children of alcoholic parents does not go far enough.
Secretary for Health and Social Care Jeremy Hunt revealed a package of measured designed to help the estimated 200,000 children and young people living with an alcohol-dependent parent, backed with £6m of funding.
However, the Local Government [...]
Ofsted highlights ‘unacceptable’ screening visits at Oldham
“Unacceptable” screening visits are being carried out at Oldham children’s services, Ofsted has found.
The focused inspection of the authority which concentrated on the local authority’s arrangements for the front door identified that social workers are undertaking ‘screening visits’ to some children and their families prior to a referral decision, although the rationale for these visits [...]
Coalition argues against video links in courts for child defendants
Using video links for court cases involving children “impedes children’s participation in the process, prejudices outcomes and undermines the seriousness of proceedings,” campaigners have warned.
An open letter from more than 50 experts and organisations including representatives from the Association of Youth Offending Team Managers, Nacro, Children England and The Prison Reform Trust, urges the government [...]
Serious Violence Strategy: Early intervention is key
A Serious Violence Strategy backed with £40m of funding has been launched by the Home Office.
The strategy acknowledges the changing drugs market and in particular crack cocaine, ‘county lines’ and its implications for drugs, violence and exploiting vulnerable people and includes a focus on early intervention to educate young people.
However, council leaders have warned the [...]
Wirral has made ‘effective efforts’ to address shortfalls
Wirral children’s services has made effective efforts to address some of the shortfalls identified in Ofsted’s single inspection framework inspection of September 2016 regarding help and protection services, the inspectorate has said.
The quality of assessments at the ‘Integrated Front Door’ system is good although further work is needed to ensure that there is a full [...]
