ADCS
Future Forum: Need to reduce rising child care numbers
The local government sector needs to bring down the increasing numbers of children in care, the immediate past president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services has said.
Judge calls for more children’s home placements
A judge has called for more support from the Government to fund secure placements for vulnerable children.
Doing the right thing for children
With the direction of the Government’s policies for schools and SEND becoming clearer, the new president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services Steve Crocker speaks to Ann McGauran about his priorities for the next year.
New Solace hire to improve sector diversity
Senior officers' organisation Solace is recruiting a new officer in a drive to improve diversity.
No child should be at the mercy of a postcode lottery
We need a national conversation about the way our mental health system fails too many children and a review of CAMHS is required, says the new president of the ADCS, Steve Crocker.
Council chief turnover quadruples post-pandemic
The number of council chief executives leaving their jobs has shot up in the last year, new figures have confirmed.
Call for national review of children's mental health services
The new president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) has called for a post-pandemic national review of children’s mental health services.
Family matters
With the findings of the independent review of children’s social care expected soon, Ann McGauran looks at what sector experts want to emerge from this once in a generation chance for transformation.
The next steps for our children post-pandemic
The effects of the pandemic on schooling for children cannot be ignored, says Charlotte Ramsden, and local authorities can play a role in reversing worrying trends such as persistent absence going forwards
Our golden chance to improve the lives of children
The levelling up agenda provides us with the chance to tackle the rising number of children living in poverty, but this relies on Government committing to developing a cross-departmental strategy, says Charlotte Ramsden.
Places’ key role in changing times
Leaders from a range of local government disciplines came together at a conference to consider how place fits at a time of rapid change and to lay out their future priorities. Ann McGauran reports.
Youth justice needs a redesign
A shocking television exposure of aggressive staff behaviour towards children at the Medway Secure Training Centre should have been a watershed moment, but five years on this is still not the case, says Charlotte Ramsden.
Putting it right
What does the future hold for children’s social care and what are the priorities for reform? Ann McGauran reports from a Westminster Education Forum conference.
Families under pressure
As energy and food costs soar and pandemic financial support comes to an end, Chris Mahony asks what impact the pressures on low income families will have on stretched local authorities.
Back to school?
Since schools returned to full capacity there has been focus on attendance, mental health and emotional wellbeing. But, argues Charlotte Ramsden, post-pandemic, the main concern must also be education recovery for all our children.
Unravelling the knot of education, health and care plans
Leo Jones lays out the deeper challenges that need to be recognised and addressed if the SEND review is going to tackle the complex problems behind rising numbers of education, health and care plans.
Catching up with lost learning
There is no national strategy to help children recover lost learning and promote emotional health and wellbeing, writes Charlotte Ramsden from the Association of Directors of Children’s Services.
Getting back in the groove
As the country prepares to open up to gatherings again, Heather Jameson rounds up last week’s major annual virtual conferences – and finds an air of optimism within the sector despite the challenges ahead.
Ofsted chief rubbishes ‘inspection tsunami’ claim
Amanda Spielman has sought to ease concerns about a deluge of inspections as the watchdog resumes normal activity in September.
Having children's services leads at ICS partnership talks is 'critical'
It is ‘absolutely critically important’ that children’s services are at the table in discussions about partnership working within integrated care systems (ICS), says an NHS policy expert.
