Part 1: Special Guardian Order Support plans – cases before the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) highlight the importance of getting the right support plan

Once an individual has exhausted the statutory complaints process within the Local Authority and is not satisfied with the outcome, the individual complainant can then apply to the LGO for a further independent investigation of their complaint. The LGO shares their decisions on their website; the reason for this is… Continue reading

Part 2: Special Guardian Order Support Plans-cases before the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGO) emphasise the importance of getting the right support plan

You can read the related Part 1 on SGO support plans by clicking here part-1-special-guardian-order In part 1 a number of cases before the LGO highlighted the need to provide the right support and guidance to carers and children subject to Special Guardianship Orders (SGO). The LGO in it’s report,… Continue reading

July Newsletter

This month we wanted to share some useful resources with you. Guidance on Hospital discharge and community support guidance This guidance applies in relation to adults being discharged from acute hospitals and community rehabilitation units in England, excluding maternity patients.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hospital-discharge-and-community-support-guidance/hospital-discharge-and-community-support-guidance Forced marriage How to protect, advise and support victims of… Continue reading

National review into the murders of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson

The tragic deaths of Arther Labinjo- Hughes and Start Hobson created a public outcry. From these tragedies, lessons need to be learnt. To assist in this process, the national review has recently published a report by The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel -Child Protection in England https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1078488/ALH_SH_National_Review_26-5-22.pdf following both children’s… Continue reading

Independent Review of Children’s Social Care calls for a radical reset.

“This is the start of a journey to change the culture and dramatically reform the children’s social care system”, Nadhim Zahawi, Education Secretary. The independent review led by Josh McAlister is seen as an opportunity to reset children’s social care that: Provides intensive help to families in crisis Acts decisively… Continue reading

May News

We are nearly half way through this year already! We wanted to share a few things with you…  Exciting news a further £160m to be invested into the government’s National Adoption Strategy  The Department for Education has announced a new investment of £160m over three years into the government’s National… Continue reading

Somerset Judgement

The President of the Family Division rules on the validity of existing placement and adoption orders, despite failure with adoption regulations. The need for the President’s clarification starts with Re N (Children) [2021] EWCA Civ 785- 21 May 2021 https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2021/785.html The mother of M (6 years) and T (13 years),… Continue reading