Category Archives: News

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)

The Department for Education has today published details of the new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Profile

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The Department for Education has today published details of the new Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Profile including a new handbook and exemplification materials.

The EYFS Profile Handbook

The EYFS Profile Handbook has been developed to help practitioners make accurate judgements about each child’s attainment, and to enable effective moderation of judgements.  It replaces the previous 2008 EYFS Profile Handbook.  The EYFS Profile LA moderation requirements booklet has been incorporated into section 6 of the 2013 Handbook.

This handbook contact important information for local authorities, head teachers and all early education professionals about assessing children’s attainment.

The Handbook includes information and guidance about:

  • how and why EYFS assessments should be carried out
  • how to complete and EYFS Profile
  • how to record children’s attainment
  • how to make accurate and reliable judgements about EYFS attainment.

The Handbook should be used alongside the EYFS Assessment and reporting arrangements and exemplification materials.

It will only available to download electronically.  Hard copies of the Handbook will not be available.  Click here to download the EYFS Profile Handbook

We also have more resources within our members area (click here)

DoH has published a report on taking a public health approach topreventing violence in England.

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The Department of Health (DoH) has published a report on taking a public health approach topreventing violence in England. Issues highlighted include: the impact of childhood exposure to violence on the child’s health and behaviour in later life, and the cost of violence to the NHS each year (an estimated £2.9 billion). Interventions considered include: family and parent support programmes, programmes developing children’s life skills, and work with high-risk young people.
Source: DoH Press Release 02 November 2012
Further information:
Protecting people promoting health: a public health approach to violence prevention for England. (PDF)

The British Association for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect has published a report about family involvement in serious case reviews

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The British Association for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (BASPCAN) has published a report about family involvement in serious case reviews. Practice recommendations included: guidance rather than prescriptive practice should be used to inform levels of family participation; local protocols should be clear about the reasons for seeking family involvement; and decisions about which family members and significant others to involve should be made on a case by case basis, with no pre-determined exclusions.
Source: The British Association for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (BASPCAN)12 November 2012
Further information:
Family Involvement in Case Reviews Report: Executive Summary (PDF)

Report into how to support and protect young people at risk of suicide

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The Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People has published a report written by Queen’s University Belfast and NSPCC about how to support and protect young people at risk ofsuicide. Recommendations include: develop a decision making tool to identify childhood adversities linked to poorer outcomes; make children identified as at risk of suicide subject to an agreed intervention plan; and provide professionals in greatest contact with young people with training on identifying and responding to depression.
Source: Children & Young People Now 12 November 2012
Further information:
Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY) 12 November 2012
   Still Vulnerable: The Impact of Early Childhood Experiences on Adolescent Suicide and Accidental Death. (PDF)
   Young person’s report: The Importance of Having Someone to Talk To: A report about childhood experiences and teenage suicide and accidental death. (PDF)

Ofsted has published an example of good practice when working with families with chronic problems

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Ofsted has published an example of good practice when working with families with chronic problems. The Swindon Borough Council’s ‘LIFE’ programme involves practitioners from multiple agencies working alongside families to understand the problems they are facing and develop ways of increasing families’ capacity and reducing risk factors. Outcomes of the programme include: an 80% average reduction in police call outs; 13 children no longer subject to child protection plans; and 10 children on the edge of being taken into care have been supported to remain safely with their families.
Source: Ofsted Press Release 13 November 2012
Further information:
Working with families through the ‘LIFE’ programme: Swindon Borough Council (PDF)