Kent’s adoption parties mean more children have the chance of a loving home

Cllr Jenny Whittle, the Cabinet Member for Specialist Children's Services on Kent County Council, says remembering the human factor can… Read more »

Sandwell Council’s Children’s Services is inadequate – but so is Ofsted

An Ofsted report has found Sandwell Council's Children's Services Department to be "inadequate." The trouble with the report is that… Read more »

There is a shortage of adopters: The trouble is that the “adoption myths” are still often the reality

TheTimes reports (£) this morning that councils are increasing the number of children in care being offered for adoption and… Read more »

At last – chance to be a social worker without a social work degree

There was an excellent piece (£) in the Sunday Times yesterday by Harriet Sergeant about the scandal of children in… Read more »

The Children and Families Bill must be only the first step in boosting adoption

I would hope and expect that the Children and Families Bill will come into law and help to reduce the… Read more »

Adoption and Fostering Panels should be scrapped

Reducing the number of children in care and securing a higher adoption rate partly involves preventing social workers from imposing… Read more »

Bristol Council spent £21,000 trying to cover up social work failings

Last month The Sun reported on a scandal involving treatment of a four-year-old girl by Bristol City Council. She was… Read more »

The cost of adoption is too high

Some of the obstacles to adoption are controversial. Others are dull. The Government has made a usfeul start in attacking… Read more »

Couple seeking to adopt asked: “How many times a week do you have sex?”

Birmingham City Council have published a survey of adoption applicants. There are some sensible recommendations on some of the criticisms… Read more »

Dudley Council spends £233,000 a month on taxis taking children to school

Dudley Council is holding a consultation with its residents on a range of Council Tax increases. Those who oppose a… Read more »

Policy Exchange calls for 1,000 more children in care to go to boarding schools

An interesting paper from Policy Exchange calls for a big increase in the number of children in care attending boarding… Read more »

Birmingham to close five of its 20 children’s homes

There has rightly been increasing focus on the dramatically better outcomes for children being adopted rather than kept in care…. Read more »

The College of Social Work – another taxpayer funded group lobbying against the Government

First the good news. Most social workers are not members of Unison. Or the British Association of Social Workers. Or… Read more »

Parris on Rotherham’s tick-box Timothy

Powerful piece (£) in The Spectator this week by Matthew Parris on the Rotherham foster care scandal. Mr Parris was… Read more »

Weak LGA response to the Rotherham scandal as Labour council leader dithers

The Local Government Association have responded to the Rotherham foster care scandal with this statement in the name of Cllr… Read more »