Select committee: Public Services Committee
Children’s social care
Open
Opened 16 Sep 2026
Public Services Committee Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Inquiry scope (the committee's words)
The Inquiry will be looking into a broad range of issues regarding children’s social care, including the changing demand for care and local authority funding, the supply of residential placements and the impact of market management measures within the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act. Additionally, the inquiry will seek evidence on fostering, workforce, and regulations, and finally the outcomes for care-experienced children.
Where it stands
The inquiry is open, opened 16 September 2026.
The committee has not published a report yet.
Evidence
- 7 oral evidence sessionsLatest 2 December 2026
- 15 written submissions
- 11 witnesses
Recent activity
- Oral evidence session2 December 2026, Oral evidence
- Oral evidence session25 November 2026, Oral evidence
- Oral evidence session18 November 2026, Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions
On smaller screens, scroll horizontally to read every column. Keyboard users can focus the table region and use the arrow keys.
| Date | Session and witnesses | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Dec 2026 |
Oral evidence session
Mathew Brazier · Ofsted,
Sally Robinson · Ofsted,
Yvette Stanley · Ofsted
|
View ↗ |
| 25 Nov 2026 |
Oral evidence session
No witnesses recorded
|
View ↗ |
| 18 Nov 2026 |
Oral evidence session
No witnesses recorded
|
View ↗ |
| 11 Nov 2026 |
Oral evidence session
No witnesses recorded
|
View ↗ |
| 28 Oct 2026 |
Oral evidence session
Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson CBE · Local Government Association (LGA),
Lucy Butler · Home and Future (South East Regional Care Cooperative),
Rachael Wardell OBE · Association of Directors of Children’s Services
|
View ↗ |
| 21 Oct 2026 |
Oral evidence session
Eavan Mckay · National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Child (NSPCC),
Jessica Ford · Action for Children,
Nicola Smith · Barnardo’s
|
View ↗ |
| 14 Oct 2026 |
Oral evidence session
Helen Waite OBE · Department for Education,
Shazia Hussain CBE · Department for Education
|
View ↗ |
Written evidence
On smaller screens, scroll horizontally to read every column. Keyboard users can focus the table region and use the arrow keys.
| Reference | Date | Submitter |
|---|---|---|
| CSC0049 | 28 Oct 2026 | Commonweal Housing |
| CSC0052 | 28 Oct 2026 | Bluestones Complex Care |
| CSC0061 | 28 Oct 2026 | Professor Victoria Nash, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford |
| CSC0121 | 28 Oct 2026 | Ofsted |
| CSC0021 | 21 Oct 2026 | Ms Fatemeh Hajiali , Independent |
| CSC0022 | 21 Oct 2026 | Ann-Marie Rebecca Balcombe |
| CSC0027 | 21 Oct 2026 | Collaborative Care Group |
| CSC0029 | 21 Oct 2026 | Mrs Tonimarie Benaton, individual |
| CSC0041 | 21 Oct 2026 | Kerrie Portman |
| CSC0001 | 14 Oct 2026 | Amanda Knowles |
| CSC0004 | 14 Oct 2026 | Carl O'Leary |
| CSC0005 | 14 Oct 2026 | MR Nigel D Cook, Retired - Programme Manager |
| CSC0008 | 14 Oct 2026 | Miss Leanne Boylan |
| CSC0014 | 14 Oct 2026 | Amberleigh Care Limited |
| CSC0016 | 14 Oct 2026 | Smallman |
Who gave evidence
On smaller screens, scroll horizontally to read every column. Keyboard users can focus the table region and use the arrow keys.
| Witness | Organisation | Sessions |
|---|---|---|
| Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson CBE · Deputy Chair of the LGA’s Children & Young People Board | Local Government Association (LGA) | 1 |
| Eavan Mckay · Policy and Public Affairs Manager | National Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Child (NSPCC) | 1 |
| Helen Waite OBE · Director for Children's Social Care: System and Strategy | Department for Education | 1 |
| Jessica Ford · Policy Lead for children in and leaving care | Action for Children | 1 |
| Lucy Butler · CEO | Home and Future (South East Regional Care Cooperative) | 1 |
| Mathew Brazier · Senior HMI and Social Care Programme Director | Ofsted | 1 |
| Nicola Smith · Senior Policy Advisor | Barnardo’s | 1 |
| Rachael Wardell OBE · President | Association of Directors of Children’s Services | 1 |
| Sally Robinson · Deputy Director for Social Care Policy and Reform | Ofsted | 1 |
| Shazia Hussain CBE · Director of Children's Social Care: Help, Protection and Social Work | Department for Education | 1 |
| Yvette Stanley · National Director for Regulation and Social Care | Ofsted | 1 |
Meetings & visits
On smaller screens, scroll horizontally to read every column. Keyboard users can focus the table region and use the arrow keys.
| Date | Type | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Nov 2026 | Formal meeting (private meeting) | Not recorded · To be Confirmed |