Vulnerable child care
Lack of consistent prescribed care for highly vulnerable children due to insufficient care package reviews and staff training.
Strongest theme matches
Mixed across source types and ranked by classifier confidence plus text match strength.
PFD report
99match
Asher Sinclair
A highly vulnerable child was not provided prescribed 2:1 care, their complex package lacked proper review or quality checks, and critical parental concerns were ignored, compounded by inadequate staff training.
Matched on
terms: care, child, vulnerable
Committee recommendation
95match
#31 - Crucial sibling relationships for children in care unprotected due to lack of separation data.
Sibling relationships are crucial for many children in care and, for some, may be the only family relationships they have. They must be protected and supported as much as possible. The lack of any data on the extent of sibling separation makes it difficult to understand the main causes of the problem and devise effective strategies to reduce...
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
91match
#55 - Disabled children are overlooked in social care, lacking access to essential short breaks.
Too often, disabled children are overlooked in the social care system. Parents struggle to understand and access the support available and face a confusing “postcode lottery” of support between local authorities. There is an urgent need to improve access to short breaks, respite care and holiday provision; it is unacceptable that over half of parents are unable to...
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
91match
#52 - Introduce opt-out independent advocacy for all children in care, including disabled children.
The Department for Education must take forward the recommendation of the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care to introduce an opt-out model of independent advocacy for all children in care. It must also act 90 on the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel’s recommendation for all children with disabilities and complex health needs in residential settings to have access...
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
91match
#45 - Develop universal standards of care applicable to all children's homes, including supported accommodation.
The Department for Education must follow the recommendation of the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care and develop universal standards of care that apply to all homes, including supported accommodation, ensuring that children in all settings receive care where they live. (Recommendation, Paragraph 105)
Matched on
terms: care, child
Inquiry recommendation
90match
24 - Registration of children's home care staff
The Chair and Panel recommend that the Department for Education introduces arrangements for the registration of staff working in care roles in children's homes. Registration should be with an independent body charged with setting and maintaining standards of training, conduct and continuing professional development, and with the power to enforce these through fitness to practise procedures. The Chair...
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
87match
#58 - Introduce national eligibility criteria for disabled children’s social care and communicate to families.
The Department should introduce national eligibility criteria for disabled children’s social care and ensure that local authorities are clearly communicating these to families. (Recommendation, Paragraph 144)
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
87match
#51 - Too few children, especially disabled, access entitled independent advocacy support in care.
It is essential that children in care have a voice when important decisions are being made about their lives. Currently, too few children are accessing the advocacy support they are entitled to, with an average referral rate of just 5% across local authorities. It is also essential that disabled children and children with special educational needs, particularly those...
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
87match
#36 - Extend Pupil Premium Plus and priority school admissions to all kinship care children.
The Department for Education should extend Pupil Premium Plus funding and priority school admissions to all children who meet the new statutory definition of living in kinship care. (Recommendation, Paragraph 85)
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
87match
#19 - Publish national children's social care sufficiency strategy and mandate local out-of-area placement reduction plans.
The Department for Education must publish a national sufficiency strategy for children’s social care as a matter of urgency and publish data on the extent to which sufficiency requirements are being met on an annual basis. It should also require all local authorities to develop and publish strategies for reducing the number of out-of-area placements and work with...
Matched on
terms: care, child
Inquiry recommendation
82match
23 - National chaperone policy for healthcare (Wales)
The Chair and Panel recommend that the Welsh Government develops a national policy for the training and use of chaperones in the treatment of children in healthcare services. The Chair and Panel recommend that Healthcare Inspectorate Wales considers compliance with national chaperone policies (once implemented) in its assessments of services.
Matched on
terms: care, child
Inquiry recommendation
82match
22 - National chaperone policy for healthcare (England)
The Chair and Panel recommend that the Department of Health and Social Care develops a national policy for the training and use of chaperones in the treatment of children in healthcare services. The Chair and Panel recommend that the Care Quality Commission considers compliance with national chaperone policies (once implemented) in its assessments of services.
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
82match
#59 - Conduct review of disabled children’s short breaks availability and fund local authority provision.
The Department should conduct a review of the availability of short breaks, respite care and holiday provision for disabled children to understand where the shortages are most acute. It should work with the Ministry of Housing, 91 Communities and Local Government to fund local authorities to be able to offer this provision to all families who are entitled...
Matched on
terms: care, child
Inquiry recommendation
81match
FR-7 - Registration of Care Home Staff
The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Interim Report, dated April 2018) that the UK government introduces arrangements for the registration of staff working in care roles in children's homes, including secure children's homes. Registration should be with an independent body charged with setting and maintaining standards of training, conduct and continuing professional development, and with the...
Matched on
terms: care, child
Inquiry recommendation
81match
54 - Lambeth foster carer vetting review
Lambeth Council should review the application of recruitment and vetting procedures for all current foster carers directly provided by Lambeth Council, to ensure that the procedures have been followed correctly. In addition, Lambeth Council should seek assurances from external agencies and other local authorities, in which children in the care of Lambeth Council have been placed, that recruitment...
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
81match
#22 - 1st Report - Courts and Tribunals Bill
The youth court occupies a distinct position within the magistrates’ court system, dealing with serious cases involving some of the most vulnerable defendants in the criminal justice system. As 90% of children and young people are tried in the youth courts, any reforms to the magistrates’ court appeal process are likely to disproportionately affect them. Care must therefore...
Matched on
terms: care, child, vulnerable
Inquiry recommendation
78match
FR-6 - Amend Children Act 1989
The Inquiry recommends that the UK government amends the Children Act 1989 so that, in any case where a court is satisfied that there is reasonable cause to believe that a child who is in the care of a local authority is experiencing or is at risk of experiencing significant harm, on an application by or for that...
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
78match
#33 - Kinship care is essential, but carers require adequate financial and employment support.
Kinship care is an essential part of the care system and the evidence is clear that children in kinship care have an overall better experience than children in other types of care. We welcome the Department for Education’s focus on kinship care, but this must be underpinned by the right policies to support kinship carers. In particular, kinship...
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
78match
#17 - Out-of-area placements traumatise children, despite some local authorities limiting numbers.
Too many children are being sent many miles from home, which has a traumatic and lasting impact on their lives. We were saddened to hear that a care-experienced young person had chosen not to pursue higher education as a direct result of being placed out of area. However, there are some strong examples of good practice and some...
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
78match
#9 - Inconsistent SEN support and provision leads to inequitable experiences for children with SEND.
The current inconsistency in SEN support and ordinarily available provision across England is unacceptable and results in deeply inequitable experiences for children and young people with SEND. The lack of consistent good practice in SEN support, driven by insufficiently clear and specific guidance and inconsistent interpretations of ‘best endeavours’ are causing delays in identifying needs, inadequate support, and...
Matched on
terms: child
Inquiry recommendation
77match
33 - Assessment of potential risks posed by foster carers and residential care staff
Nottingham City Council should assess the potential risks posed by current and former foster carers directly provided by the council in relation to the sexual abuse of children. They should also ensure that current and former foster carers provided by external agencies are assessed by those agencies. Any concerns which arise should be referred to the appropriate body...
Matched on
terms: care, child
Inquiry recommendation
76match
FR-13 - Mandatory Reporting
The Inquiry recommends that the UK government and Welsh Government introduce legislation which places certain individuals - 'mandated reporters' - under a statutory duty to report child sexual abuse where they: receive a disclosure of child sexual abuse from a child or perpetrator; or witness a child being sexually abused; or observe recognised indicators of child sexual abuse....
Matched on
terms: care, child, vulnerable
PFD report
73match
Enric Elliott
Vulnerable young mothers who book late for maternity care are often excluded from the Family Nurse Partnership due to rigid gestation limits, despite late booking indicating increased risk.
Matched on
terms: care, vulnerable
PFD report
73match
Rebecca Hayward
Inexperienced staff conducting assessments for vulnerable individuals with homelessness and substance misuse issues lead to inaccurate plans, and Care Act re-referrals for changing accommodation are resisted.
Matched on
terms: care, vulnerable
Inquiry recommendation
73match
25 - Amendment of Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
The Chair and Panel recommend that the Home Office ensures that the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 is amended so that, where a fitness to practise hearing has been conducted by the keeper of a relevant register and has resulted in removal of a practitioner from that register for reasons relating to harm or risk of harm to...
Matched on
terms: child, vulnerable
Inquiry recommendation
72match
FR-8 - Registration in Young Offender Institutions
The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009-2017 Investigation Report, dated February 2019) that the UK government introduces arrangements for the professional registration of staff in roles responsible for the care of children in young offender institutions and secure training centres.
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
70match
#11 - Significant concerns exist regarding B&B suitability for temporary accommodation, particularly for children.
There are particular concerns about the use of B&Bs as temporary accommodation, regarding the suitability of the environment and location, safeguarding in mixed settings, and a lack of support from wider public services. Children in B&Bs often face particular challenges, such as not having the space for their physical development, and going to school hungry since B&Bs are...
Matched on
terms: child
Committee recommendation
70match
#38 - Review educational support for adopted and previously looked-after children, including statutory framework.
The Department for Education should review the educational support available to adopted children, assessing the impact of the extension of policies to previously looked-after children and whether any further extensions are needed. This review should include: the introduction of a statutory framework for previously looked-after children; requiring local authorities to publish a local offer for previously looked-after children;...
Matched on
terms: child
Committee recommendation
70match
#37 - Adopted children's early trauma impact on education receives insufficient recognition and support.
There is too little recognition of the impact of the early trauma and separation experienced by adopted children, and of the support they need to thrive in education and beyond, with over half of adopted children feeling that they didn’t receive the support they needed at school. (Conclusion, Paragraph 92)
Matched on
terms: child
Committee recommendation
70match
#20 - Collect DfE data distinguishing out-of-area child placements by reasons of interest versus capacity.
The Department for Education should collect data on the proportion of children who are placed out of area because it is in their own interests compared with those placed out of area due to capacity issues, so that the situation can be properly monitored and any improvements can be recognised. (Recommendation, Paragraph 47)
Matched on
terms: child
Committee recommendation
70match
#12 - Develop comprehensive strategy for children at risk of extra-familial harm, including professional training.
The Department for Education must put in place a strategy for supporting children and young people at risk of extra-familial harm. This should include: better training for professionals to spot and respond to extra- familial risks; ensuring that young people and their families know where to go to access support; and improving approaches to ensuring that families can...
Matched on
terms: child
PFD report
69match
Steffan Bonnot
Inadequate and undocumented disclosure of a child's background information to prospective foster carers caused anxiety and posed a risk to informed placement decisions.
Matched on
terms: care, child
PFD report
69match
Shannon Quinn
Multiple failures in multi-agency communication, inadequate staff training, and poor risk management regarding ligature use, patient observations, and resuscitation significantly compromised care for a patient with complex mental health needs.
Matched on
terms: care
PFD report
69match
Samuel Alban-Stanley
Inadequate support and psychosocial interventions were provided for a child with Prader Willi syndrome and high-risk behaviours. Poor communication between agencies also prevented coordinated care.
Matched on
terms: care, child
PFD report
69match
Terence Davenport
A patient remained in an unsuitable acute hospital due to a lack of care beds. Poor information sharing between authorities also failed to recognize a safeguarding risk, endangering residents and staff.
Matched on
terms: care
PFD report
69match
Locket Williams
Insufficient in-county psychiatric inpatient beds for children persist, with new units inadequate for demand or specific needs. A new suicide risk assessment system lacks clear alerts on medical records, risking clinicians missing vital information.
Matched on
terms: child
PFD report
69match
Marcia Grant
A shortage of foster placements, combined with inadequate documentation, poor communication of risks, and a failure to assess risks to carers, led to an unsuitable child placement.
Matched on
terms: care, child
Inquiry recommendation
69match
WATE-(10) - Assign field social worker to every looked after child in and after care
An appropriate915 field social worker should be assigned to every looked after child throughout the period that the child remains in care and for an appropriate period following the child's discharge from care.
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
69match
#54 - Evaluate existing reunification practices and publish national guidance based on local authority good practice.
The Department for Education should evaluate existing reunification practice and publish national guidance on reunification, drawing on the good practice that already exists in many local authorities. (Recommendation, Paragraph 133) Disabled children’s care
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
69match
#32 - Strengthen legislation for sibling contact, collect and annually publish data on separation.
The Department should strengthen the legislation relating to sibling contact to ensure that children in care are placed with siblings whenever it is in their best interests, and that where they cannot be placed together, regular contact between siblings is facilitated and sustained. The Department should collect data on sibling separation in all forms of care and publish...
Matched on
terms: care, child
LGO / SPSO decision
69match
24-009-954 - Bristol City Council
Summary: We will not investigate Miss X’s complaint about the Council’s response to her complaint and safeguarding concern relating to her ex-partners child and girlfriend. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council to warrant an investigation.
Matched on
terms: care, child
Inquiry recommendation
68match
63 - Extend TRA jurisdiction to teaching assistants
The Department for Education should amend the Teachers' Disciplinary (England) Regulations 2012 to bring all teaching assistants, learning support staff and cover supervisors within the misconduct jurisdiction of the Teaching Regulation Agency. The Department for Education and the Welsh Government should amend Keeping Children Safe in Education and Keeping Learners Safe to: provide more detailed guidance as to...
Matched on
terms: child, vulnerable
LGO / SPSO decision
68match
21-006-448 - Torbay Council
Summary: Ms X complains about the Council handling since it placed two grandchildren (Child Y and Child Z) in her care. The Council was at fault for delays in providing support to Child Y, responding to Ms X’s complaints and completing recommendations made during the children’s statutory complaints process. The Council has agreed to apologise, make payments (to...
Matched on
terms: care, child
Inquiry recommendation
66match
18 - Joint MoJ/DfE policy for children in custody
The Chair and Panel recommend that the Ministry of Justice and the Department for Education share policy responsibility for managing and safeguarding children in custodial institutions. This is to ensure that standards applied in relation to children in custody are jointly focussed on discipline and securing child welfare.
Matched on
terms: child
Inquiry recommendation
66match
11 - Ban CSE-risk children from semi-independent placements
The Department for Education should ban the placement in semi-independent and independent settings of children aged 16 and 17 who have experienced, or are at heightened risk of experiencing, sexual exploitation. This should be implemented without delay.
Matched on
terms: child
PFD report
65match
Mary Stroman
A child's recommended long-term therapeutic placement was delayed and ultimately overturned by Children's Services, despite multi-agency support, due to a perceived failure to meet statutory accommodation thresholds.
Matched on
terms: child
PFD report
65match
Jeremiah Obaka
Lack of a consistent, agreed policy between the local authority and care agency regarding actions when service users do not respond or cannot be found.
Matched on
terms: care
PFD report
65match
Ezra Boulton
Critical issues include a lack of continuity in antenatal care, insufficient safe-sleeping advice provided post-natally, and midwives' unawareness of criminal implications of infant overlay with alcohol/drugs.
Matched on
terms: care
PFD report
65match
Ewan Brown
A lack of joint police-health policies for vulnerable missing persons, absence of multi-agency meetings, inadequate police mental health training, and poor information sharing protocols hindered effective risk assessment and search efforts.
Matched on
terms: vulnerable
Inquiry recommendation
65match
55 - Religious organisation child protection policies
All religious organisations should have a child protection policy and supporting procedures, which should include advice and guidance on responding to disclosures of abuse and the needs of victims and survivors. The policy and procedures should be updated regularly, with professional child protection advice, and all organisations should have regular compulsory training for those in leadership positions and...
Matched on
terms: child