More than 10% of social work workforce off due to COVID in one in 10 authorities
Around 1 in 10 of local authorities reported over 10% of their social workers unable to work due to COVID-19 in January 2022, the Department for Education has reported.
Between October to December 2021 there were no local authorities reporting over 10% of their social workers out of action, although at its peak, there were [...]
Children in care move home with belongings in bin bags
Four out of five children in care have moved home with their belongings in bin bags, the National Youth Advocacy Service has found.
The NYAS also revealed that three in five care experienced young people will have their belongings lost or damaged when moving.
Rita Waters, NYAS Group CEO says, “All too often for children in [...]
Study links child poverty to entry in care system
Rising rates of child poverty are resulting in more children entering the care system, according to a new study.
The research, carried out by academics from Liverpool and Huddersfield universities, found that between 2015 and 2020, a 1% increase in child poverty rates was associated with an additional 5 children entering care per 100,000 in [...]
Care system is ‘unfit for purpose’ says former children’s commissioner
The current care system is unfit for purpose and is handing over some vulnerable children to criminals and abusers rather than ensuring they are protected, the Commission on Young Lives has warned.
Vulnerable teenagers are moved away from their families and communities, are too frequently shipped from placement to placement and continue to be placed [...]
Recruitment and retention of foster carers remains challenging
Recruiting and retaining sufficient foster carers with the right skillset to support vulnerable children continues to pose a problem for local authorities, trusts and independent fostering agencies, the State of the Nation’s Foster Care 2021 has said.
The pressures within the system, and the lack of availability of foster families, results in poorer outcomes for [...]
Councils predict 100,000 children in care by 2025
There could be 100,000 children in local authority care by 2025, the County Councils Network has warned.
While there were 69,000 children in care in 2015, CCN warns that number of vulnerable children being placed in council care could reach almost 100,000 by the middle of the decade.
Cllr Tim Oliver, Chairman of the County Councils [...]
