News
Joint thematic inspection of children on remand
Ofsted, the Inspectorate for Prisons and the Inspectorate for Probation undertook a thematic review into remand, following the MOJ review into custodial remand in 2022. A series of recommendations are made, including to local authority children’s services departments that they review their provision of support to children in police custody so that as many children as possible are released on police bail and into the care of local authority children’s services.
Early years education and childcare entitlements announcements
Early years entitlements funding rates to each council have been announced. The national average hourly rates paid by the government will be £11.22 for under twos, £8.28 for two year olds, and £5.88 for three and four year olds from April. An explainer on the funding rates provides the breakdown. The announcements come at the same time as the launch of the childminder registration grant and the response to the early years funding – extension of entitlements consultation. We understand some local areas are struggling to use the delivery grant for local authority recruitment due to council-wide recruitment freezes. If this is an issue impacting your local area, please contact flora.wilkie@local.gov.uk.
Kinship care
The Department for Education has launched the first ever national kinship care strategy, “championing kinship care” along with £20 million of investment. Eight areas will trial matching kinship allowances to foster carer allowances, and the Virtual School Head role will be extended to children in kinship care. Guidance for employers in relation to kinship carers in the workplace has also been published.
Working together to safeguard children
An update to 'working together to safeguard children' has been published. Key changes include the introduction of “lead safeguarding partners” (LSPs), who are responsible for strategy in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements, and “delegated safeguarding partners” (DSPs) who are responsible for delivery. One of the DSPs must be appointed as “partnership chair” to act as a conduit between LSPs and DSPs. There is also clarification that a broader range of practitioners can be the lead practitioner for children and families under section 17. Funding has been announced for all multi-agency safeguarding arrangements to support changes.
Children’s social care national framework
The Department for Education (DfE) has published a national framework outlining the purpose of children’s social care, including principles, enablers and outcomes. A dashboard will be published next year with a dataset to inform understanding of how well those outcomes are being delivered, and work is underway to identify how to fill data gaps. A data and digital strategy has also been published. Advice for local areas has been published to support the embedding of the framework and the update to 'working together'.
Building a cyber resilient service: A guide for directors of children’s services
We have launched a new eight step guide for making children’s services resilient to cyber incidents. This intends to help Directors explore the intricacies of cyber security in the context of delivering children’s services.
Safeguarding children with disabilities and complex health needs in residential settings
The Government has responded to the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel’s report on safeguarding children with disabilities and complex health needs in residential settings, which was carried out after children living in homes and residential special schools owned by the Hesley Group in Doncaster were found to have been abused. Work will now be undertaken to improve the safeguarding of disabled children living in regulated children’s homes.
Final think pieces exploring children's mental health
We've published the last in our series of think pieces which each independently explored children and young people's mental health. Concluding the series we have a pieces from; The Minister for Children, Families and Wellbeing, David Johnston, Councillor Liz Green, Chair of the LGA Culture, Tourism and Sport Board and a final reflection on all the contributions from Chair of the LGA's Children and Young People's Board, Councillor Louise Gittins. You can find the latest and previous think pieces over on our web hub.
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