Private firms’ involvement in childrens social work should be rethought after G4S scandal
Ray Jones argues that G4S selling its childrens services is not the end for profit making in childrens social work
by Ray Jones
The recent decision by G4S to withdraw from the provision of children’s services, including secure training centres and children’s homes, has been welcomed by those who have a concern for the safety and welfare [...]
New evidence template launched for social workers
An updated tool to enable local authority social workers to submit evidence for a care application has been produced by Cafcass and the Association of Directors of Children’s Services.
The updated Social Work Evidence Template (SWET) has been updated for local authority social workers to use when submitting evidence to support an application for a care [...]
Children’s commissioner urges ‘stocktake’ of children’s services
Government should measure the impact of its decisions on young people, warns Anne Longfield
The government should carry out an “urgent stocktake” of its spending on children’s services to ascertain how cuts are impacting on children, Anne Longfield has urged.
Addressing the Education Select Committee, the children’s commissioner called on the government to extend its family test [...]
Government to strengthen Special Guardianship Orders
Assessment process to be amended immediately following review of SGOs
The government has pledged to strengthen Special Guardianship Order assessments in England after a review of their effectiveness found that children are being placed in potentially risky placements.
Following the review which unearthed major problems with the system, the government has pledged to:-
Strengthen the assessment process, to [...]Record care applications for November, figures reveal
There was a 15% increase in care applications compared to the same period last year, figures showed
The number of care applications for the month of November has hit record levels this year.
Statistics published today by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) showed there were 1,020 care applications received in November, the [...]
Care applications reach record high in June, reveals Cafcass
Last month, the children and family courts service received 1,104 care applications, a 25% increase on the same time last year
More care applications were received in June than ever before, figures recorded by Cafcass have revealed.
Last month, the children and family court advisory and support service received 1,104 care applications from children’s social workers, a [...]
