Children’s social care implementation strategy 

We have submitted responses to the Government’s consultations on children’s social care reform; our response to the overarching Stable Homes, Built on Love implementation plan is available online. We expect the Government to make announcements shortly on the pathfinder areas for Regional Care Cooperatives and Families First for Children, with a consultation on updates to Working Together to Safeguard Children due in the coming months. 

Supported accommodation

The National Children’s Bureau is running a programme of support for councils and providers of supported accommodation to help them prepare for the new quality standards, registration and regulation regime. This includes a series of events and webinars, with targeted regional support.

London event on youth-led peer research

The London Mayor’s New Deal for Young People Team and Partnership for Young London are hosting an event showcasing youth-led peer research and exploring how this can influence policy and practice across London. This event will take place on the 2 June from 11am-3pm, at City Hall. Topics will cover: examples of youth-led peer research, the process, how peer research can influence policy and practice, the impact of peer research on peer researchers, and the way universities and colleges (higher education) can support youth-led research through 'civic mentoring’.

Children’s mental health – implementation progress of the 2017 Green paper proposals

The Department for Education has produced a report sharing information on the coverage of Mental Health Support Teams in schools and findings from their survey on the Designated Senior Mental Health Lead Training. There is still an opportunity for schools to apply for a grant to take part in the training.

Child Safety Week resources available (5-11 June)   

Child Safety Week returns from 5 – 11 June and the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT) have produced a range of helpful resources which councils are encouraged to share throughout the week. 

To coincide with the week this year CAPT have also joined up with Defra, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and leading animal welfare organisations, to put together a range of resources with a focus on practical tips around keeping children safe around dogs.

Partnership working with the voluntary and community sector toolkit

We have created a partnership working with the voluntary and community sector (VCS) toolkit to support councils to continue to build strong relationships between themselves and VCS. The toolkit aims to support councils on this journey and builds upon research commissioned by the LGA and conducted by Locality, into the state of strategic relationships between councils and their local voluntary and community sector.

Support for people with lifelong disabilities

We have now published research by Alma Economics looking at social care support for people with lifelong disabilities. This reviews existing literature and supplements it with feedback from a small number of interviews with families of disabled children and social workers working with them. It highlights a range of challenges and opportunities, including communications, flexibility and availability of appropriate support and engagement in decision-making. A simple English version of the report is also available.

The National Children and Adult Services Conference is a must-attend event for councillors, directors, senior officers, policy makers, service managers and those with responsibilities for children and adult services in the statutory, voluntary and private sectors. You will hear from high-profile Ministers and leaders and can explore the very latest thinking on key policy and improvement agendas in social care, children’s services, education, health and related fields.

We are currently taking bids to run workshop sessions at the conference. Workshops provide a vital opportunity for attendees to discuss current issues, learn about new and future developments, and hear examples of innovation and good practice. The deadline for submission is 16 June. For more information or to book a place please visit the NCAS Conference website.