Children’s Social Care Review - Updates
In the latest response from Josh McAllister, chair of the review into children’s social care, he identifies the key themes coming from stakeholders submissions and has written them into his latest blog. The team were also keen to share updates from the wider children’s social care field:
Healthy relationships: Domestic abuse prevention charity Safelives are running a research project to better understand how to support young people and promote healthy relationships. If you are a teacher or a young person and would like to take part in SafeLives’ survey, links are below:
My Stuff Matters: The National Youth Advocacy Service is running a campaign ‘My Stuff Matters’ in partnership with UK bag brand Madlug. According to their survey, 80% of children and young people said that their belongings were moved in bin bags at least once during their time in care.
Find out more about the campaign and what you can do to support it:
https://www.nyas.net/campaigns/my-things-matter/
Behind Closed Doors launch event: Tortoise media will be hosting a ‘ThinkIn’ online event on Thursday 3rd February 2022 (6.30-7.30pm) to mark the launch of a book – Behind Closed Doors – by author Polly Curtis who spent three years listening to people affected by the children’s social care system and those who know it best including children, mothers, fathers, foster carers, social workers, teachers, judges and lawyers.
Tortoise events usually require a subscription but readers of this update can sign up for free using the invite code SOCIAL22 through this link: https://www.tortoisemedia.com/thinkin/after-arthur-labinjo-hughes-peter-connelly-and-victoria-climbie-what-should-social-workers-do/
In case you missed it, there have been a number of significant broadcasts around social care:
- Ashley John-Baptiste presents a film about sibling relationships in the care system – Split up in Care. Watch here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0bbc9c5/split-up-in-care-life-without-siblings
- The Education Select Committee spoke to Yvette Stanley, Ofsted’s Social Care Director and Children’s Commissioner Rachel de Souza as part of their inquiry into children’s homes. The session covered educational outcomes, SEND, early help and much more. Watch here: https://committees.parliament.uk/event/6665/formal-meeting-oral-evidence-session/
- BBC’s Countryfile looked at how criminals target children in rural areas through ‘county lines’ drugs operations – featuring the Children’s Society’s Prevention Team discussing how to spot the signs of exploitation and the impact of cuts to youth services: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m0013mlg/countryfile-bristols-last-farm (starts at 15 mins)
- An interesting blog from chair of John Lewis, Sharon White, who explains why more should be done to give care leavers the best chances in life and how John Lewis is putting this into practice: https://www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/media/press/y2022/lets-do-more-to-empower-care-leavers-to-thrive.html
