looked after children

Monitoring poverty and social exclusion 2011

This report comes at a time when the UK government has outlined its main policy intentions and its strategy to reduce poverty. Although the statistics presented in this report still almost entirely reflect the policies of the previous government, the Labour record is the Coalition inheritance.

This commentary discusses the implications of that record for the current government in the light of its commitments on child poverty and social mobility set out in strategy documents published in 2011.

Thematic review of youth offender casework

The focus of the thematic review was on those aspects of casework which are unique to youth offenders or are particularly problematic.

These included:
• the quality of youth offender charging decisions including pre-court disposals
• the application of the ‘grave crime’ provisions and other related provisions under S51 Crime and Disorder Act 1998 as amended
• the quality of remand applications in respect of youth offenders
• the role of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in preventing offending.

Educational attainment of looked after children (SPICe Briefing 11/79)

Briefing produced to support an inquiry by the Education and Culture Committee into the educational attainment of looked after children.

Despite ten years of policy effort to improve the educational attainment of looked after children, national statistics show that attainment and school attendance is still much lower and exclusions much higher than the average for all pupils.

SCIE/NICE recommendations on looked after children

Public health guidance: promoting the quality of life of looked-after children and young people. This is NICE and SCIE’s formal guidance on improving the physical and emotional health and wellbeing of looked-after children and young people. SCIE guide 40. This guide is one of a series published by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE). SCIE guides are one-stop shops for social care practitioners, presenting key findings, current legislation and examples of what is working well to guide and inform practice. Guide published in January 2009.

Children looked after in England (including adoption and care leavers) year ending 31 March 2011

Statistical release that provides information about looked after children in England for the year ending 31 March 2011. It includes information on the number of looked after children, the reason why a child is looked after, their legal status and placement type.

It also includes information on the number of children who started to be looked after during the year ending 31 March 2011 and the number of children who ceased to be looked after during the year.

Educational outcomes for Scotland's looked after children, 2009/10

Publication that contains statistics obtained from linking, for the first time, looked after children‟s data provided by local authority social work services departments with educational data provided by publicly funded schools, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and Skills Development Scotland (SDS).

It presents key findings on a range of educational outcome statistics for children or young people who have been looked after continuously during the 12-month period, in different types of care placements, and for pupils with multiple placements within the school year.

Getting better?: improving outcomes for children and young people (Part 2)

Briefing paper produced to highlight the key research messages from the Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People’s services (C4EO) for general practitioners (GPs) and other commissioners and providers of health services, across a number of thematic areas. The messages help to illustrate some of the interventions that have been proven to have a positive impact and make a difference in people’s lives.

Attachment-informed practice with looked after children and young people (IRISS Insights, no.10)

One of a series of reports providing the social services workforce with brief, accessible and practice-oriented summaries of published evidence on key topics.

Developed through a process of rapid appraisal, Insights seek to highlight the practice implications of research evidence and answer the 'So what does this mean in practice?' question for each topic reviewed.

Permanence and stability for disabled looked after children (IRISS Insights, no.11)

One of a series of reports providing the social services workforce with brief, accessible and practice-oriented summaries of published evidence on key topics.

Developed through a process of rapid appraisal, Insights seek to highlight the practice implications of research evidence and answer the 'So what does this mean in practice?' question for each topic reviewed.