Author Archives: CPTUKAdmin

The Children’s Society has published a survey of teachers’ views on food in schools

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The Children’s Society has published a survey of teachers’ views on food in schools covering levels of pupil hunger. Findings include: 72% of teachers have experience of children coming to school without a lunch or lunch money. The report recommends extending entitlement of free school meals to all children in families receiving universal credit.
Source: Childrens Society 14 December 2012
Further information:
Food for thought survey (PDF version)

Community Care reports on training staff to work with learning disabled sex offenders.

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Community Care reports on training staff to work with learning disabled sex offenders. Training, provided by the charity Respond, covers: identifying and understanding sex offending, best practice in risk assessment and management, psychodynamic approaches to working with learning disabled sex offenders, and understanding legislation as it applies to learning disability and sexual abuse.
Source: Community Care 17 December 2012
Further information:
Respond

Children and Young People Now reports on a youth homelessness charter

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Children and Young People Now reports on a youth homelessness charter, presented to MPs at the inaugural meeting of the Homeless Young People’s Parliament. Proposals in the charter, by young homeless people from the Foyer Federation, include: a personalised approach to housing provision; the integration of housing with learning, welfare to work and public health provision; and accommodation pathways that enable young people to develop their potential.
Source: Children & Young People Now 17 December 2012
Further information:
Foyer
   Parliament Charter Foyer Federation. (PDF)

The Department for Education has published the Government’s response to a consultation on parental internet controls.

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The Department for Education has published the Government’s response to a consultation on parental internet controls. Proposals include: communication and information businesses should develop family-friendly internet access; internet service providers should actively encourage people to turn on parental controls and automatically prompt parents to tailor filters to suit their children’s needs.
Source: Department for Education press release 14 December 2012
Further information:
The Government’s Response to the Consultation on Parental Internet Controls. (PDF)

The Department for Education is consulting on revised statutory guidance on children missing education for local authorities

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The Department for Education is consulting on revised statutory guidance on children missing education for local authorities. The guidance aims to help local authorities fulfil their legal duty to put into place effective arrangements for identifying children who are missing education; including their safeguarding and child protection duties. The consultation closes on 15 February 2013.
Source: Department for Education press release 17 December 2012
Further information:
Statutory guidance on identifying children not receiving suitable education: for local authorities in England. (PDF)

The House of Lords Committee on Adoption Legislation

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The House of Lords Committee on Adoption Legislation has published a report recommending the Government widen the scope of a proposed adoption measure expected to form part of the Children and Families Bill next year. The ‘fostering for adoption’ duty designed to place looked after children with foster carers who could later adopt them should be extended to include all children for whom adoption is the plan.
Source: Parliament UK 19 December 2012
Further information:
Adoption: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny Report (PDF)

Child practice reviews (CPRs) will replace serious case reviews in Wales

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From 1st January, 2013 child practice reviews (CPRs) will replace serious case reviews in Wales. The new CPR framework aims to enhance learning from child protection cases. Key features include: strengthening multi-agency practice; and more concise reporting which focuses on improving practice.
Source: Welsh Assembly Government 21 December 2012
Further information:
Protecting Children in Wales: Guidance for Arrangements for Multi-Agency Child Practice Reviews (PDF)

NHS Child Abuse Database

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In 2015, a database will be launched to help medical staff in NHS hospitals identify children suffering from abuse or neglect. The Child Protection – Information System will flag whether a child who comes in for emergency treatment is subject to a child protection plan or has frequently attended emergency departments over a period of time.
Source: DoH Press Release 27 December 2012

Government has announced a package of measures offering more support to potential adopters

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The Government has announced a package of measures offering more support to potential adopters and speeding up the process of matching children with families. Measures include: ensuring more paid leave for people adopting and the right to time off work to meet children before they move in; launching a helpline manned by people with first-hand experience of adopting.
Source: Department for Education press release 24 December 2012
Further information:
An action plan for adoption: tackling delay (PDF version)