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'My job is about giving confidence back to social workers'
When Eileen Munro recommended that every local authority should have a principal social worker, the government was quick to accept the proposal. Almost a year on, how is the role working in practice? Tristan Donovan speaks to Medway council’s first ever principal social worker.
22 March 2012
Case review model aims to end social work blame culture
The traditional approach to serious case reviews (SCRs), carried out by local safeguarding children boards (LSCBs) after the death or serious injury of a child, has been widely criticised for inhibiting learning by focusing on mistakes and blame.
27 March 2012
Cafcass: How we screen 200 private law cases a day
On a typical day, at least 200 private law applications will arrive at Cafcass’ national business centre (NBC) in Coventry. Every application - from a parent or guardian - will be different, but each will represent a child who has experienced family breakdown.
11 January 2012
Children's early intervention benefits from safguarding hubs
Screening all child protection referrals through a multi-agency team improves the quality of early intervention in families, an evaluation of a Devon model has found.
08 August 2011
The sentencing of serious young offenders: legal update
Sentencing decisions of the higher courts illustrate the ultimate consequence of offending behaviour. This means they can provide useful material for workers...
03 February 2010
How to use the law to fight social care spending cuts
With more than 150,000 local authority jobs under threat, and councils proposing to cut services due to funding pressures, social care staff and service users are increasingly concerned about their prospects. But there may be ways in which they can use the law to challenge and overturn councils' decisions.
16 February 2011
Should children's social work be a touch-free zone?
Although physical contact is a human need, children's social workers are starting to take a hands-off approach in order to reduce the risk of misunderstandings and false accusations. Camilla Pemberton reports
20 August 2010
Neglected children happier in care than in stable reunion
Children who have been neglected and emotionally abused are happier in care than in a stable reunification with parents, according to a study commissioned by the previous government.
31 August 2010
Capital role models give boys direction
The ability to fully understand young black men is crucial to ensuring they remain engaged with society. Camilla Pemberton talks to Ian Joseph, who has helped former gang members into careers
20 August 2010
Why wealth makes a difference in foster care
I always wanted to be moved to a residential placement rather than to a foster family because you never know what to expect when moving in with another family. Things always start off well but after a while may go downhill. By Jennifer Sarumi
20 August 2010
Restorative justice in children's homes
Academic Pauline Ashworth examines findings on the effectiveness of restorative justice in cases involving bullying in children's residential units
20 August 2010
Targeting parents at risk of sudden infant deaths
Judy Cooper and Camilla Pemberton profile two councils that have had enjoyed success in targeting families most at risk of cot death Lancashire: 'Awareness...
23 June 2010
Facing up to obstructive parents
When a parent wants to interfere with the child safeguarding process social workers can find themselves outmanoeuvred. Molly Garboden reports
10 August 2010
The need for a cheaper family justice system based on mediation
Professionals can help create a cheaper and more responsive family justice system with mediation at its heart, says justice minister Jonathon Djanogly
10 August 2010
Best and worst decisions I've made
Judith K Harris never wanted to be a 'child-snatching' social worker, but came to view her decision to enter child protection as the best of her career
06 August 2010
Quality in practice: Guidance on assessment tools
Brian Taylor looks at the assessment tools at the heart of good safeguarding
06 August 2010
Proven Practice: Including children with disabilities
The Centre for Excellence and Outcomes looks at overcoming the barriers that disabled children encounter, particularly in children's centres, extended schools and youth services
16 July 2010
The impact on children of multiple returns to birth parents
Professionals are struggling with the impact of repeatedly returning children to their birth parents. Camilla Pemberton investigates.
27 July 2010
Risk Factor: should Stuart have the kids back?
Mark Drinkwater describes a case in which an independent practitioner's assessment makes all the difference for a father who wants his children to live with him and his new partner
24 June 2010
Growing up black with white adoptee parents
Precious Williams, author of a book about growing up as a black child adopted by a white family, ponders the importance of ethnic matching
There is currently fierce debate over whether it is better to delay the adoption of a child, to find a good ethnic match, or if the delay itself is more harmful than a less than ideal adoption. Precious Williams was one of the thousands of black babies to be privately fostered by white families in the 1970s. She gives her view:
"As a new-born, I was advertised in Nursery World and taken on by an elderly white woman in West Sussex. My cringeworthy social services records from that period note that my new foster mother 'devoted more time than most would have done to this coloured child'.
"When my West African-born, London-based, natural mother sometimes failed to pay for my keep - my foster mum would use her state pension to make sure I was fed and clothed. My natural mother completely lost
23 July 2010
