DfE finds just 5% of vulnerable children attending school
Just 5 per cent of vulnerable children were attending school on Friday 17 April, according to figures published by the Department for Education.
Around 84,000 children attended an educational establishment on Friday 17 April, representing 0.9% of pupils who normally attend. Of those, 24,000 of the children in attendance were classed by schools as vulnerable, [...]
Frontline social worker's fears for families as lockdown extends
Frontline social worker Rita Long talks about how her team is adapting to new ways of working, how social distancing is not always possible in social work and her fears for the next few weeks.
The rise in domestic abuse since lockdown measures were introduced to try and contain the spread of COVID-19 are not [...]
SEN schools recorded 10 times the number of safeguarding concerns than mainstream residential schools
There were 10 times more concerns about incidents of sexual abuse in special residential schools than mainstream schools, an investigation by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has found.
The Inquiry’s investigation looked at how mainstream residential schools, which include independent, private schools and state boarding schools, and schools that provide for students with [...]
Children exploited criminally are treated as perpetrators rather than victims
Children suffering criminal exploitation are currently more likely to be criminalised than recognised as victims and helped, the Howard League for Penal Reform has warned.
While significant progress has been made in reducing the criminalisation of children in residential care, people involved in crime, including those operating “county lines”, are taking advantage of failings in [...]
£8m emergency support for adoptive families during COVID-19
Emergency support is being offered to adoptive families by the government amid the outbreak of COVID-19.
Education secretary Gavin Williamson has announced up to £8 million of funding to pay for online counselling and couples therapy through the Adoption Support Fund to help families meet the needs of children arising from the coronavirus pandemic.
Education Secretary [...]
Coalition urges chancellor to raise child benefit
The chancellor has been urged to raise child benefit by £10 per child per week in a bid to help families experiencing financial pressures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A coalition of organisations including NCB, Barnardo’s, The Children’s Society, Family Rights Group and Action for Children has written an open letter to chancellor Rishi Sunak [...]
