In December last year prime minister, David Cameron, announced that during the course of this Parliament we will see ‘landmark' reforms aimed at strengthening and improving children's social care.

This includes, but is not limited to, the taking over of children's services which fail to improve within six months in a formalised academy style system, the appointment of independent children's commissioners for authorities which persistently fail to provide expert support, advice to transform children's services and the investment of £20m to create a ‘What Works Centre' to identify and share examples of high quality and innovative practice across children's social work.