Children in foster care are more likely to be concerned about their family life than other children, a report has found. Children aged nine to 17 living in foster care were found to be more worried about various aspects of their life than other children, with 18 per cent saying they were worried about getting on well with their current family, in comparison to 14 per cent of other children. While most 11- to 18-year-olds in care felt settled in their home, many reported they were unhappy with the frequency they were able to see members of their birth family. Some 74 per cent said they saw their father too much, too little or did not see them at all. For mothers, this figure was 61 per cent, and for siblings, it was 56 per cent. Younger children in foster care also reported lower happiness levels in relation to their home life, with 10 per cent of six- to eight-year-olds in foster care saying they were unhappy with their family life, by comparison to seven per cent of those not in care. The report, published by the children’s commissioner for England, Rachel de Souza, and children’s charity Coram, presented new analysis of looked-after children’s responses to the commissioner’s 2021 The Big Ask survey, which gathered more than 550,000 responses from children across the UK. Children in foster care were also found to be slightly less happy with their school life, with 24 per cent of nine- to 17-year-olds saying they were worried about having a good education, compared to 18 per cent of other children. Younger children in foster care were similarly more concerned about their education than their peers, with nine per cent saying they were unhappy with their education compared to four per cent of children not in care. The report also notes that when asked what barriers stood in the way of achieving their goals, there were some commonalities among children in care. Some children reported that they had been told they couldn’t succeed or follow their dreams later in life, which many attributed to their current living or financial situation. One girl in foster care, aged 15, said: “I think one thing that stops children from achieving what they want is them being told they won’t be able to, based on their current situation financially and within the community.” Children in care added that children’s services posed a barrier to them throughout their childhood, stopping them from being able to do certain things such as see their biological family. Some children added they would like their foster carers to have more autonomy to grant them permission to participate in activities, without the need for approval from children’s services. The report comes as the sector awaits the government’s implementation strategy for the Care Review and includes a series of recommendations to improve the lives of children in care, including:
De Souza said: “We know from The Big Ask that children in care want the same security and stability of home, relationships and education as all other children. However, too often it is these essential elements of a good childhood that are missing for children in care. “We all have a role to play in providing a shield of support around children in care that mirrors the protective effect of family and allows them to be ambitious for their futures. The publication of the government’s strategy to reform children’s social care provides us with a unique opportunity to reform the lives of children in care.” Carol Homdon, chief executive of Coram, added: “It is good news that the happiness of children in care is broadly similar to that of children in general. However, this new analysis also reveals that children in care are more worried than other children about some aspects of their lives: education, family relationships and where they live. “If we focus on these three areas and listen to children about what matters to them most, we can close the gap even further and ensure children in care have the best possible chance in life“. Source www.cypnow.co.uk/news Social worker Rebekah Pierre is looking to hear from fellow care-experienced people to contribute to a new book, ‘Free Loaves on Fridays’. In this Q&A, she talks about why their voices are needed more than ever For care-experienced social worker Rebekah Pierre, the current narrative about the care system is dominated by people who “either haven’t worked in it themselves or have no personal experience”. Pierre, who, outside of being a social worker, writer and activist, is a professional officer at the British Association of Social Workers, is working to change that. She is editing an anthology of stories that will give a voice to those who are care-experienced, and is currently looking for contributions from care leavers of all backgrounds. ‘Free Loaves on Fridays’ will be published in 2024, and its proceeds will go to children’s charities Article 39 and Together Trust. What is the story behind Free Loaves on Fridays? Earlier this year, I‘d been contacted by a publisher who had come across a piece I had written for The Guardian about my time in care, asking if I would edit an anthology of care-experienced stories. After some thought, I agreed, only on the basis that there would be a no-rejection policy: every contribution would be given the care and respect it deserved. The title, Free Loaves on Fridays, is a throwback to when I lived in an unregulated hostel in care. Every Friday, we were given a donation of free loaves from the local bread factory. It was always the same old leftovers: thick-sliced white bread, plain and loaded with cholesterol. The title is a way of reclaiming that experience, allowing an element of choice for once, if not about bread, then at least about the way the public perceives us. The support we have received, from crowdfunding to finally being able to accept submissions, has meant a great deal to many of us. One individual said that they had never knowingly met another care-experienced adult before, and this process had helped them feel less alone. The book’s slogan is “the care system as told by the people who actually get it”. Who do you feel gets to talk about the care system? The vast majority of sector decision makers are not care-experienced. Many bring the valuable experience of working within children’s social care to the table (whilst others, it must be said, do not), but living in care 24/7 is quite different to working in a care setting nine to five. As a practitioner, even if you’ve had a difficult shift, you can clock off at the end of the day and leave it all behind. But if you’re living in a dark, filthy bedsit with adults who have just gotten out of prison, then there is no escape. Existing in any care setting is a full, embodied experience that never leaves you. What would you like social workers to take away from the book, and what influence do you hope it will have on practice? This year, I made the terrifying decision to read my case files from my time in care. As a social worker who genuinely understands the pressures of the job, I expected some parts may be rushed or absent. But little could have prepared me for their content. Quite frankly, I was shocked and horrified by what I read – as detailed in my open letter to the social worker who wrote my case works. I realised from this experience that there is a disconnect between social workers and the people they help. This book is about giving care-experienced people the same opportunity to be heard. It is entirely plausible that many social workers have only ever spoken to a care-experienced person in the context of a meeting, assessment or procedure – not necessarily through any fault of their own. So, I hope the book can show who we are outside of these clinical settings – show that we’re just like everyone else underneath it all. We are human beings who long for love, care and community; real people with strengths and talents, not just challenges, who cannot be quantified in an assessment framework. When describing the book’s purpose, you have said in the past that it will give care-experienced people “the final say”. Could you elaborate on what you meant by that? When do we have the first say, let alone the final say? So often, care-experienced people are only roped in as a tick-box exercise – sought for research, surveys or policy issues. Major reviews and reports released this year have been critiqued for not meaningfully involving the care-experienced community. This feeling of being written about, but not with, is all too familiar. Now it is our turn. But I earnestly hope that Free Loaves on Fridays will not be the final piece of the puzzle, but a springboard for many unheard writers in the book to go off and publish their own stuff. The conversation is only just beginning. You have mentioned that you are hoping this book will help change the public’s perception of care-experienced people. What do you think needs to change? The media is inundated with negative stereotypes and sensationalist headlines regarding care-experienced people. Is it any wonder so many of us do not disclose? What we need is positive and humanising messaging to counter this. That’s why Free Loaves will explore not just the negative, traumatic impact care can have, but also the life-changing difference it can make when done well. It will highlight the unspeakable resilience of this wonderful, yet often misunderstood, community. I think that, had representation like this existed when I was younger, I would have felt seen, heard and validated. This is what I hope the book will provide for younger generations. Fostering allyship with the public has never been so important. Care leavers are less likely to end up in positions of power, yet are overrepresented in the criminal justice system, are more likely to experience premature death and are twice as likely to end up homeless. If we can raise awareness of the above, people will be better equipped to make a difference. You have said before that writing had been a very powerful tool for you during your time in and outside care. How are you hoping the act of writing will help contributors? When I was in care, writing was the only real positive coping mechanism I had. I kept a diary that I would write in even when I couldn’t afford to top up the electric meter. It was a safe, creative space to channel feelings that were often difficult to manage. There is something about putting pen to paper and narrating your version of events, unfettered by the opinions of others, that is unspeakably powerful. I mentioned earlier about having received my case files this year – I would be devastated if this was the only record I had of this period of my life, written by someone else’s hand and full of inaccuracies. By sharing their words for Free Loaves on Fridays, I hope others will also fall in love with writing, and that it will open up doors for them. Not only to be published and build self-esteem and a sense of achievement but also to be heard for who they are, and to express themselves creatively. Hearing that your words have power can be life-changing. It doesn’t matter if people have no writing experience whatsoever. All that counts is that someone has something to say and the will to share it, even if that is with the help of a professional or loved one. Do you worry that writing about their past in care might be too painful for some contributors? How do you deal with this? I know from first-hand experience that, whilst writing can be rewarding, it can also be intense and at times difficult. Our submissions guidance has a section devoted to this very topic, with suggestions around what steps contributors can take to look after themselves when writing about potentially painful topics. Another section signposts contributors to places they can access further support. I advise that anyone who is contributing should put themselves first. Writing for Free Loaves on Fridays may not be for everyone – or now may not be the right time. There are other great writing opportunities for care-experienced folk, and some are listed as alternative options at the end of the guidance. If it doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. On a personal note, with time, I have learned to develop boundaries around my own writing. I try to think about the best time of day/environment to write in (which may not be possible for those in unsafe or abusive situations), and what triggers to avoid. I find that small things, like taking regular breaks, doing a grounding activity afterwards or having a reminder of the present nearby, can help. As I edit the book, I will also have the help of an art therapist, who will help me to process the work I will be doing in a safe space. I only wish all care leavers had access to therapeutic support. This should be the bare minimum in one of the wealthiest countries in the world – not a privilege. Do you have a story to tell? Submissions for Free Loaves on Fridays are welcome from anyone who was in care for any period under the age of 18 and would like to help change the public’s understanding of what it means to be care-experienced. You are welcome to submit regardless of your age, background, or level of writing experience. Each contributor will receive a copy of the book and an invitation to the launch. To contribute, please read this document for submission guidelines, information on how to submit and safeguarding considerations: Free Loaves on Fridays – Submission Guidance. The deadline to submit your story is 15 January 2023. Source: www.communitycare.co.uk/ Care News: Julie Morgan - We are eliminating profit from the care of looked after children6/12/2022
Encouraging more people to become foster parents is a crucial part of the Welsh government’s plans, writes the deputy minister for social services in the Welsh government. Our Programme for Government sets out our vision to transform children’s services in Wales. Our ambition is for whole system change, with more children and young people supported to remain with their families and fewer entering care. We also want to ensure the time spent in care is as short as possible. Part of this agenda includes a commitment to “eliminate private profit from the care of children looked after”. Care-experienced young people have told us very clearly they do not wish to be looked after by privately owned organisations that make a profit from their time in care. We agree with them. No one should be making money from the challenges some young people and their families face. We will legislate to make sure that, in Wales, the market in children and young people’s care will end. The future of care in Wales will be provided by public sector, charitable or not-for-profit organisations, with opportunities for private providers to transition to not-for-profit entities. Understanding the challenges Everyone is aware of the pressure on public spending. As well as being the right thing to do, eliminating profit from the care of children and young people is the prudent thing to do. We have to ensure that every penny invested in the care of children is spent on delivering improved services, a better experience for young people and their families and the best possible outcomes. What we have to spend on some of our most vulnerable young people does not allow for individuals or corporate entities to profit, especially at the exceptionally high rate some of them do. The initial focus will be on the private provision of residential care for children, alongside independent sector foster care. We fully understand the challenges facing us and why we have reached a stage where radical reform is necessary. We know our care population is larger than comparable areas elsewhere in the UK. The long-term trend of increasing use of care, along with presentation of more complex needs, has presented significant challenges to local authorities, especially as costs of placements in the private sector have risen. Huge scale of transformation We want to ensure we have sustainable, stable placements in place so young people feel a sense of belonging and security. We do not believe this infrastructure can be developed by private sector providers that operate commercially rather than as part of a sector aimed at reducing the number of care-experienced young people. The scale of this transformation is huge. More than 80% of care homes for children and young people in Wales are run by the private sector. In July 2022 there were 223 private sector care home services for children, providing a total of 908 places, and 37 public or not-for profit services, providing 160 places. Nine Welsh local authorities are wholly reliant on the private sector for their children’s care home provision. This is neither right or sustainable. This is not about like-for-like replacement of one type of provider by another. Our vision is to redesign provision so it is needs based and does the best for children, young people, their families and communities, by providing services that are based, designed and accountable locally. Encouraging more people to become foster parents is a crucial part of this work. Foster Wales, the national network of 22 Welsh local authority fostering services, will help us to build the capacity of foster care provision and attract more people to come forward to provide care in the public sector. Morally right and urgent Everything we do will be done alongside young people. We are holding a summit meeting between more than 40 ambassadors of care-experienced young people, the first minister of Wales and Welsh ministers early this month. After the summit we will set out a shared vision of what care services for young people will look like for the next 10 years. We are upping our game as far as corporate parenting is concerned too with new guidance due to be published shortly. We believe legislation can provide us with tools that will help deliver our commitment. In our recent consultation on our legislative proposals, we asked for views to shape how we deliver the commitment. Working together with our young people, our local authority, civil society and the third sector we will develop a system where social values as well as the best interests and outcomes for children and young people are embedded within the services delivered. Eliminating private profit from the care of looked after children is morally right, necessary, sustainable and urgent. Julie Morgan (Lab), deputy minister for social services in the Welsh government Source: www.lgcplus.com More than half of care-experienced young people said they were in favour of making care experience a protected characteristic as suggested in the Care Review, a charity report finds. The report from Coram Voice, published in partnership with the National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS), finds that 60 per cent of care-experienced young people support making care experience a protected characteristic. A further 29 per cent saying they were unsure about the ask. These findings are based on research with more than 80 care-experienced children and young people, aged eight to 25, across 27 English local authorities, which asked them about key recommendations from the Care Review on advocacy, independent visitors and protected characteristics. The report states that two in five young people have been treated negatively due to their care experience, with one young person saying: “People often assume that you are problematic and have many things wrong with you because you’re in care. They expect you to be aggressive and loud, when really you just want to be heard.” It also details young people’s views on advocacy, after the Care Review recommended that advocacy services should be opt out and all children in care should be contacted by an advocate to offer support. The report finds that 31 per cent of children and young people did not know how to access an advocate. It also estimates that this figure is lower across the entire population of children in care, suggesting that children who are in contact with organisations such as Coram Voice and NYAS are likely to have an awareness of their right to advocacy. It further adds that children in care felt it was important to have advocates who “listen, are honest, and get to know them”, with one young person saying they wanted support from someone who “makes an effort to form a meaningful relationship with me that doesn’t just feel like a task.” The report finds mixed feelings among young people about the role of independent reviewing officers (IROs), with some saying they were not independent as they are employed by the council, while others expressed worry about the Care Review’s recommendation to scrap the role. It also notes that a third of those surveyed had never heard of independent visitors – volunteers who spend time with young people in care – despite their legal right to one. Only 38 per cent of young respondents reported having seen an independent visitor during their time in the care system, and almost half of those asked said they did not know how to access one. The report includes a number of recommendations, including:
This report follows an announcement that the government’s plan for implementing the Care Review’s recommendations will not be published until early 2023, despite the prior pledge to do so before the year’s end. Brigid Robinson, managing director for Coram Voice, said: “As the government responds to the recommendations of the Independent Care Review it is essential that they take the views of children and young people into account. Only by listening to children in care and care leavers can the Government make sure that they design a system that will work for them.” Chief executive for NYAS Rita Walters added: “The Care Review might have concluded, but our work continues to empower children and young people in decisions that affect them. The views of care-experienced children and young people must be at the heart of the Government’s response and implementation plan.” Coram recently hosted The Future of Youth conference, where advocates, leaders and professionals from the youth work sector met to discuss how evidence-based action can help improve outcomes for children and young people, including for those with care experience. Discussions were held around the role of health inequalities stemming from adverse childhood experiences, the importance of embedding anti-racist practice and trauma-informed services, mental health as experienced by those belonging to marginalised groups, and the role of digital technology in children’s social care. Speakers included Dr Ann Hagell, research lead from Association for Young People’s Health, Jenny Coles, chair of What Works for Children’s Social Care, and Professor Anthony Finkelstein, president of University of London and member of the Care Review Implementation Board. Source: www.cypnow.co.uk The views of care-experienced children and young people on recommendations set out in the independent review of children’s social care are uncovered in a new report published today (1 December 2022) by Coram Voice and the NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service). The report follows a recent MP debate on the care review (24 November) and the government’s response to the review and implementation plan are expected in early 2023. Today’s report summarises feedback from over 80 children and young people aged 8-25 years from 27 local authorities across England on three key areas of the care review: making care experience a protected characteristic, advocacy and Independent Visitors. It shows that:
Protected characteristics The care review recommended making care experience a protected characteristic. Most young people (60%) supported this and were in favour of making care experience a protected characteristic. Some young people thought it would lead to a better awareness of the discrimination faced and an understanding of the impact of trauma. While there is support from young people for a protected characteristic, there are still many who are unsure (29%) and some do not favour this (11%). Nearly 40% of children and young people who responded to the survey felt that they had been treated negatively as a result of being care experienced. One young person said: “People often assume that you are problematic and have many things wrong with you because you’re in care. They expect you to be aggressive and loud, when really you just want to be heard.” Advocacy The care review recommended that advocacy services should be opt out and all children and young people in care should be contacted by an advocate to offer support at key points in their lives. 31% of children and young people surveyed said they did not know how to get an advocate. It is more likely that children who are in contact with children’s rights organisations such as Coram Voice and NYAS would know about their right to advocacy, meaning that the proportion of all children in care in England who know how to get an advocate is likely to be much lower. One young person said: “It can feel like you have to ‘fight’ for an advocate at the moment. It feels because the process was really difficult and not straightforward that having an advocate was something I weren’t meant to have. Therefore having one instantly helps this feel meaningful and like it matters.” Of the children and young people surveyed, 64% reported needing an advocate to resolve issues with social workers and personal advisers, 53% needed an advocate to help with family contact issues and 47% needed an advocate due to issues with school or education. Children and young people felt it was important that they had access to advocates during reviews, especially if, as proposed in the care review, Independent Reviewing Officers (IROs) are removed. They also wanted advocates to be more proactive in contacting young people directly. Independent Visitors An Independent Visitor is a volunteer who spends time with a child or young person in care. For many children and young people, an Independent Visitor is the only adult in their lives who is not paid to spend time with them. The care review recommended that local authorities redesign Independent Visitor schemes to prioritise long-term relationships and involve wider communities but no tangible goals were set. The report finds that a third of the young people surveyed have not heard of Independent Visitors and almost half don’t know how to get one. The young people who responded wanted an Independent Visitor who shared the same interests as them and highlighted the importance of long-lasting relationships with a degree of flexibility. One young person said: “Being able to contact them anytime, and meet for occasional coffees etc. if needed. My IV would only meet me on the set date, relationships don’t have specific dates, they happen at any time.” Recommendations
Rita Waters, NYAS Group Chief Executive, said: “The Care Review might have concluded, but our work continues to empower children and young people in decisions that affect them. The views of care-experienced children and young people must be at the heart of the Government’s response and implementation plan. We want to thank all the children and young people who shared their time, opinions and experiences with us to create this report and tell the Government how they feel.” Read the Report Source: coramvoice.org.uk The number of children in the care system in England is at the highest level on record, Department for Education figures show. As of 31 March this year, there were 82,170 children in care in England, according to data published today (17 November). The figure is higher than in any year since current reporting began in 1994, with numbers steadily increasing year-on-year since 2008. The DfE says the figures are “up two per cent on last year and continuing the rise seen in recent years”. It also notes that this year, both the numbers of children entering the care system and ceasing to be cared for are higher than last year. However, the report states that “last year's figures were likely impacted by the pandemic”. Sector leaders have said the figures “mark a continuation of a trend since 2010 of more and more children being looked after by the state”. The report also finds that one in four children in care are now over the age of 16, while the number of children placed more than 20 miles from home increased from 16 per cent in 2012 to 21 per cent in 2022. It adds that more than two fifths of children placed more than 20 miles from home were placed out of area in a different local authority. The figures also show the number of children adopted from care in England has not returned to pre-pandemic levels, increasing by just two per cent compared with last year, when there was a 17 per cent decline in the number of adoptions, largely due to a reduction in court proceedings. There were 2,950 children adopted in the year to 2022, falling from a peak of 5,360 in 2015. It adds that the number of special guardianship orders granted in the year to 31 March this year is up one per cent on last year to 3,870. Responding to the statistics, Katharine Sack-Jones, chief executive of Become, the national charity for children in care and young care leavers, said: “Behind the statistics are real children who are facing more instability than ever before, often being moved away from everything and everyone they know, simply because there are no alternatives closer to home. “We know from calls to our Care Advice Line just how important it is for children, who have already faced trauma, to maintain the relationships and connections that help them feel safe and secure. The constant change and disruption also puts young people at an increased risk of harm, including exploitation and abuse.” Adoption UK's chief executive Emily Frith added: “Once the courts agree that adoption is in the best interests of a child, the sooner they can be matched with a permanent adoptive family, the better. “Children in the care system have already experienced so much loss and upheaval. We know that outcomes are better for children who are adopted than for those who grow up in care. Permanence gives children the best chance of a bright future.” Family Rights Group chief executive, Cathy Ashley, said: “Every day, the crisis in children’s social care gets worse. We are letting down children and families and draining the public purse in the process. “Funding pressures on local authorities, and cost of living pressures on families are severely acerbating the situation.” The Family Rights Group is urging government to invest in services to help keep children within their families when possible. Ashley added: “We know family-centred approaches to children’s social care deliver better outcomes for children and reduce costs to the state. For instance, family group conferences are proven to be effective in safely keeping children out the care system, whilst kinship care provides children who cannot remain at home with love, greater stability and better outcomes.” Meanwhile, the number of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in the care system in England has increased to the highest level since 2004 with 5,570 unaccompanied children now in the care of local authorities. The report finds that Kent, Hillingdon, and Manchester looked after the largest number of unaccompanied children in 2022, caring for 370, 139 and 138 respectively. The figures have been released following a decision by government to make the National Transfer Scheme, for the fair dispersal of unaccompanied children across all local authorities, compulsory. According to the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, which was published in May, the number of looked-after children in England could exceed 100,000 by 2032 unless changes are implemented. Source: www.cypnow.co.uk Claire Coutinho has pledged the government's commitment to making “ambitious” changes to children’s social care in her first speech after being named as minister for children, families and wellbeing. Coutinho, who has been MP for East Surrey since 2019, is the ninth person to hold the brief for children’s social care and early years in the last decade and the fourth since September last year. She replaces Kelly Tolhurst, who held the role of childhood and schools minister for just one month, however, unlike her predecessor, Coutinho will hold no responsibility for schools. Government policy briefs for children and young people Coutinho, who was appointed as a junior minister at the Department for Education by Education Secretary Gillian Keegan last month, has previously worked as under-secretary of state for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). She has also worked for think-tank the Centre for Social Justice in areas including regeneration policy. She has previously voted against increasing local authority powers but agrees with increasing benefits in line with inflation. Coutinho has also voted against lowering the voting age to 16 and for a stricter asylum system. Just hours after her portfolio was announced yesterday (8 November), Coutinho addressed the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for children. In a short speech at the event run by the National Children's Bureau, she said she “really, really welcomes the Care Review”. “What we want to do for children's social care is ambitious but we are committed,” she added. "Please be assured of my commitment to this area and my ambition to do as much as we possibly can." Ahead of the event, she wrote on Twitter: “I spent a good chunk of my career looking at how we help families and give children the best possible start in life. “Education is the closest thing we have to a silver bullet for success, so I'm very excited to share that I'm now minister for children, families and wellbeing.” Responding to her appointment, early years leaders urged Coutinho to ensure that “early years is given the same level of attention as schools.” Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of National Day Nurseries Association, said: “The minister’s brief is much wider than early education and childcare, which includes special educational needs, social care and family hubs, but it is important that early years is given the same level of attention as schools. “We have seen seven different children and families ministers in the last five years. The sector now needs stability and continuity. “With her background in finance, we hope the new minister understands the pressures on providers as they face record inflation and stagnant funding. This sector is vital to children’s development and the economy, enabling parents to work.” Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, added: “There’s no doubt that Ms Coutinho takes on this new responsibility at a particularly difficult time for the early years, with the sector not only dealing with an array of long-term challenges, including underfunding and recruitment, but also the ongoing uncertainty around the outcome of the government’s deregulation proposals. “As such, we hope that the new minister will act as a true advocate for our vital sector, and work in partnership with us to fight for greater investment, better recognition of our workforce, and the scrapping of proposals that would actively harm the sector, including plans to relax ratios. “For far too long the early years has been an afterthought when it comes to education policy and funding. We hope that Claire Coutinho will strive to support the sector and ensure it rises to the top of the government’s priority list." Coutinho’s appointment comes after Robert Halfon was named as skills and apprenticeships minister and Nick Gibb returned to DfE as schools minister. Youth policy has been split between Stuart Andrews at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Mims Davies at DWP. Coutinho’s full portfolio includes:
Source: www.cypnow.co.uk/news Life is improving for the vast majority of looked-after children, a study into the wellbeing of children in care has found. Responses to the 10,000 Voices project, which represents the views of four- to 18-year-olds shared between 2016 and 2021, found that 83 percent of children and young people in care feel that “life is getting better”. The research, undertaken by the charity Coram Voice and The Rees Centre at the University of Oxford, looked at the wellbeing of children in care in England and compared it with other data sets, including the Children’s Society Good Childhood report, wellbeing data from the Office for National Statistics and the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children study. Findings were more positive for children in care than the general population in some areas, with a “larger percentage” feeling “safe where they lived, liking school and feeling the adults they lived with took an interest in their education”, the report states. But despite a third of children in care reporting “very high” levels of wellbeing,16 per cent of young people aged 11 to 18 years in care rated themselves as having “low life satisfaction” compared with nine per cent of young people in the general population. By the teenage years, this had increased to one in six looked-after children reporting “low” overall wellbeing. The report also finds that girls and those who had been in care for longer had lower wellbeing than boys. And young people living in residential care or “somewhere else” - mostly supported accommodation - reported “lower wellbeing” than those living in foster care and kinship foster care. Although most children in care felt included in the decisions that social workers made about their care, around one in seven “hardly ever” or “never” felt included. More than 50 percent of four- to seven-year-olds did not feel that the reasons they were in care had been fully explained, and one in five reported that they did not know who their social worker was. Bullying at school is another area impacting children in care’s wellbeing, with 29 per cent of eight-to ten-year-olds reporting being afraid to go to school because of bullying compared to 17 per cent of children in the general population. In addition, around six out of 10 children aged eight to 18 said that they worried about their feelings or behaviour and white girls, in particular, were more unhappy with how they looked. Linda Briheim-Crookall, head of policy and practice development at Coram Voice, said: “We need to shift the focus of children’s social care so that what’s important to children’s wellbeing is at its heart. "To do this, those that make decisions, from individual social workers to government ministers, need to understand how children and young people feel about their lives. Whether measuring the impact of new policy initiatives or planning the care for individual children, the focus should be on what children in care say makes their lives good.” The 10,000 Voices report, published as part of the Bright Spots programme, calls on local authorities to have mechanisms in place to capture how children in care feel about their lives and calls on professionals to be mindful of the wellbeing concerns of different groups of children in care, especially girls and those in residential care or living “somewhere else”. Source: www.cypnow.co.uk Review lead and former Frontline chief will support officials in drawing up plans to implement his recommendations, in contract worth £32,000 over six months The Department for Education has appointed Josh MacAlister to advise on the implementation of the children’s social care review that he led. It is paying MacAlister £32,000 for six months’ work, with the role having started on 1 June 2022, shortly after the care review reported, and running until 3o November. However, the contract for the work was formally awarded at the end of July and published by the government last month. The DfE has pledged to issue its response to MacAlister’s review – and those of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel’s into the murders of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson, and the Competition and Markets Authority’s into the children’s social care market – before the end of the year, alongside an implementation strategy. It is unclear whether this timetable will be affected by the imminent change of prime minister. MacAlister’s role involves supporting the transition of the review’s work, relationships with stakeholders – including people with lived experience of children’s social care – and learning to the DfE, while working through the recommendations in detail with officials and supporting them to carry out a thorough assessment of his conclusions. He will also advise on the contents of the implementation strategy, support the work of the implementation board – also set up to advise the DfE on the strategy – and provide “ongoing challenge and scrutiny on delivery and implementation plans”. Under the terms of his contract, MacAlister – who founded fast-track provider Frontline in 2013 and was its chief executive until last year – cannot engage in any lobbying of government for the 12 months after the contract expires, though there will be no bar on him taking up any other paid work once it finishes. Source: www.communitycare.co.uk Independent provider bodies claim plans risk 'serious' negative impact on looked-after children, while BASW gives 'full' backing to ending profits but says investing in more social workers will be crucial to policy's success The Welsh Government has opened a consultation on plans to eliminate profit-making residential and fostering provision for children in care. The proposals, which form part of a cooperation agreement between the Labour administration and the Plaid Cymru group in the Welsh Senedd, would restrict registration of service providers to those operating a non-profit model. New providers seeking to register with Care Inspectorate Wales would have to demonstrate not-for-profit status from 1 April 2026, with existing for-profit firms needing to transition by 1 April 2027, under new primary legislation sought by the Welsh Government. Consultation documents said work was “currently being undertaken” to support private providers wishing to move away from profit-making models, and to assist non-profit organisations looking to expand their provision. Plan to cut care population The documents added that local authorities are also being supported to “better model and forecast future placement requirements, alongside reducing the number of children in care”. Cutting those totals and ensuring more children can remain with their families is a key aim for the Welsh Government. “Our ambition is to redesign how we look after children and young people, and eliminating private profit from the care of children is a key component of this,” said Julie Morgan, the Welsh Government’s deputy minister for social services. “Children are at the heart of everything we do, and they have told us that they do not want to be cared for by privately owned organisations that make a profit from their experience of being in care.” Reliance on private sector As of March 2021, the rate of Welsh children in care was 115.3 per 10,000 of the population, far above the 67 per 10,000 for their English counterparts. Of 1,068 residential places available as of July 2022, 85% were with private providers, consultation documents said, with nine of Wales’s 22 local authorities wholly reliant on private-sector children’s homes. In March this year, a review by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK government’s competition watchdog, described the children’s social care market as “dysfunctional” and in need of overhaul to tackle high prices and a shortage of placements. The CMA warned that profits among the largest providers of both residential and foster care were higher than would be expected in a well-functioning market. However, it rejected restricting for-profit provision, arguing that doing so would not necessarily deliver significant cost savings and could choke the supply of places, at least in the short term. ‘Invest in keeping families together’ Alison Holmes, the national director of BASW Cymru, said removing profit from the care of looked after children and young people was something the organisation “fully supports”. But Hulmes said the potential impact on placement availability – including possibly meaning more children being sent further from home – was a concern. “We would like to see an investment in the numbers of social workers we have in Wales, who can use their skills in strengthening families to remain together, so we don’t keep on removing children into the care system,” she added. “Addressing the recruitment and retention crisis in social work is essential and we will continue to work with the Welsh Government, the regulator, and key partners to find sustainable, ethical and long-term pro-family solutions.” ‘Significantly worried’ Meanwhile Peter Sandiford, the chief executive of the Children’s Homes Association (CHA), which represents independent providers, said he was “significantly worried” about the consultation, including the potential cost implications of the proposals. Sandiford said there was a “significant risk” that the proposals would “result in large-scale closure of good provision without any alternatives being put in place”. He added that more children could end up placed in unregulated provision, or sent over the border to England, where they may be deprived of being able to interact in their first language. “We are also concerned about the consultation being commenced in the summer holidays and that there is nothing included about how children, their families, their carers and others will be able to respond taking into account their understanding of these complicated technical issues,” Sandiford said. Sandiford said the CHA continued to favour reform of commissioning practices, in line with the recommendations of the CMA review, and that he would be writing to the Welsh Government “to set out our views and express our concerns”. The new consultation includes discussion of action around commissioning, which would complement registration restrictions by limiting local authorities to purchasing placements from non-profit providers. Such a measure would go far further than the CMA’s recommendation that new regional bodies be set up to strengthen local authorities’ hand in sourcing the right placements for children. ‘Too little advance thinking’ Harvey Gallagher, the chief executive of the Nationwide Association of Fostering Providers, also cited the CMA’s recommendations and claimed the Welsh Government had done “too little advance thinking” despite eliminating profit from the care system being a manifesto commitment. Gallagher, who has been involved with an implementation board for the policy, told Community Care that he had not seen evidence of robust prior consultation with young people from the administration, with a planned summit to seek their views on profit-making coming too late. “This programme has caused anxiety amongst independent fostering agencies of all shapes and sizes, for profit and not for profit,” Gallagher said. “Many were started by foster carers or social workers who wanted to offer something different and better, and local authorities by and large value the services provided.” He added that in his view, the consultation “does not easily lend itself to addressing tough issues” around sufficiency, and potential legal hurdles including around competition and adequately defining ‘profit’. The consultation documents acknowledge that the impact of the Welsh Government’s plans could be undermined by “practices that go against [their] spirit and intention” by providers’ parent firms inflating fees or otherwise extracting profit via backdoor routes. Gallagher said the NAFP “will continue to actively engage with Welsh Government and sector colleagues to try to ensure that children do not come off worse as a result of this policy”. Expanding mandatory reporting of risk Besides the proposals to eliminate profit-making in provision for children in care, the new consultation also seeks input on a range of other topics. These are:
The Welsh Government’s consultation runs until midnight on 7 November 2022. Source www.communitycare.co.uk |
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