Labour oppose adoption performance tables

The Shadow Children's Minister Catherine McKinnell said in a Westminster Hall debate on adoption: I am concerned that naming and… Read more »

Ofsted publishes Children’s Services ratings

Ofsted has published their verdicts for Council's Children's Services Departments. It rates 28 councils (including Hammersmith and Fulham) as "excellent"… Read more »

What the adoption league tables show

Local councillors are "corporate parents" of their authority's "Looked After Children." So every councillor should take a look at the… Read more »

Councils failing on adoption to be named and shamed

Lots of coverage this morning on plans for greater transparency on how councils perform in placing children for adoption and… Read more »

Narey says guidance to increase adoption rate may not be enough

In an interview (£) for The Sunday Times the Government's adoption tsar Martin Narey accepts that legislation outlawing discrimination against… Read more »

Details emerge on boosting adoption

The Sunday Telegraph has more details on Government plans to boost the numbber of adoption. this follows the news that… Read more »

Prime Minister stresses need to improve adoption rate

In David Cameron's Party Conference speech there wasn't much in the way of new policy announcements. However he did say:… Read more »

Only 60 babies adopted last year

The Times this morning reports that only 60 children under a year old were adopted in the year to March… Read more »

Labour back Narey Review on adoption

I am pleased that in an article (£) for The Times this morning the Labour MP Toby Perkins, the Shadow… Read more »

Narey calls for “dramatic increase” in adoptions

Not all News International journalists will have reason to feel very proud today but those at The Times are entitled… Read more »

Andy Burnham’s Sure Start hypocrisy as Labour Wigan threaten closures

The Shadow Education Secretary Andy Burnham spoke in the House of Commons yesterday attacking my Counciil of Hammersmith and Fulham over… Read more »

Only one in 15 children aged more than five is now being taken out of care

The Times have launched a campaign (£) this week for more children in care to be placed for adoption. In… Read more »

Essex Children’s homes face closure

After the post about Lancashire yesterday it has been pointed out that Essex are also considering closing some of their… Read more »

Lancashire cuts Children’s Homes

Lancashire County Council is closing five Children's Homes saving £0.7 million a year. Their budget proposals say: Proposal 2. –… Read more »

Congratulations to Shireen Ritchie

Congratulations to my friend Shireen Ritchie, a Kensington and Chelsea councillor, on her well deserved peerage. In March I ran… Read more »