The use of special guardianship orders (SGOs) have grown rapidly in recent years. However, the amount of time allowed to carry out thorough and robust assessments is often limited, particularly when the matter is already in court. At times, this has led to very tragic circumstances such as the death… Continue reading
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) reported* an increase in children and adult law applications during 2016. This is likely to be placing even more pressure on social workers because, in addition to more court attendances, you also have greater legal responsibilities in preparation of court documents with shorter timescales. I… Continue reading
As social care professionals you undertake a very difficult job and yet the mere thought of going to court can raise anxieties and fears even in the most experienced professionals. The reality is, that however challenging, attending court is part of a social care professional’s job. Feeling nervous is natural, but the skill is not to show your fear. Continue reading
This question was raised at a recent training event I was delivering on Law for Social Workers. It resulted in an interesting discussion, which I considered would benefit other social care professionals. What is the problem? These days anyone with a smartphone can covertly record. The recording itself may not… Continue reading
Children and Social Work Act 2017 The government’s intention with this legislation was to overhaul social work. Read on to see what this means for frontline workers, vulnerable children and care leavers. There were mixed views as to whether this legislation once passed did result in the social work profession’s… Continue reading
Does the mere thought of attending court make you fearful or anxious? Come and get some tips on how to become an impressive witness. Does the thought of having to go to court feel like an exciting prospect or does it make you feel uncomfortable, nervous or perhaps frightened, Are your… Continue reading
Local authority social workers preparing court statements, are you up to date? Today’s briefing gives an update on the national social work template. Practice areas affected Local Authority children’ social workers from the children’s safeguarding teams, children’s guardians and social workers from the fostering and adoption teams. Introduction The national… Continue reading
This guide supports practitioners and professionals by detailing not just the recent changes in the law but also, and more importantly, how these changes are being applied in practice. It is an invaluable resource for all those involved in the family justice process. Considerable changes to the family justice system,… Continue reading
Essential and necessary information for all Local Authorities. Special Guardianship Orders were created under the Adoption and Children Act 2002, which introduced this as a new performance option for children which came into effect from December 2005. A special guardianship order (SGO) gives parental responsibility for a child to a… Continue reading
Our director, Shefali Shah, recently contributed to Research In Practice’s latest Strategic Briefing: Independent Reviewing Officers. About this briefing The Children and Families Act 2014, a number of recent research projects and Serious Case Review (SCR) evidence all highlight themes that have implications for Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) services. This… Continue reading
