Powers to protect children and tackle illegal schools
The Local Government Association is calling on the government to give councils the power to enter homes and other premises to see children and check the suitability of education being delivered; and to compel parents to register home educated children.
Source: Local Government Association Date: 16 September 2016
Birmingham children’s services
Community Care reports on proposals to hand ownership of Birmingham’s children’s services to social workers as part of an employee owned mutual, run as a ‘worker’s co-operative’. The other model being proposed to elected representatives would see the council own the trust.
Source: Community Care Date: September 16 2016
Early intervention support
An article in Guardian Social Care makes the case for enacting in law protection for early intervention projects and additional children’s services to support parents in breaking the cycle of having successive babies taken into care.
Source: Guardian Date: 21 September
Family debt and child mental health
The Children’s Society has published a report warning that multiple family debts are linked to a higher risk of mental health problems in children.
Source: Children’s Society Date: 22 September 2016
Unaccompanied refugee children
The Guardian reports that French children’s services are struggling to cope with a sharp rise in the number of unaccompanied refugee children who have abandoned plans to travel to the UK and now want to remain in France.
Source: Guardian Date: 22 September 2016
Perinatal mental health
The Maternal Mental Health Alliance has launched a mapping tool which sets out standards relating to all the services that support women with perinatal mental illness and their families. It is designed to enable local partners to rate their current service offer against the standards.
Source: Maternal Mental Health Alliance Date: 23 September 2016