Vulnerable child care
Lack of consistent prescribed care for highly vulnerable children due to insufficient care package reviews and staff training.
564 items
11 sources
2 inquiries
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
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
Committee recommendation
87match
#7 - Local authority discretion in children's social care; national support rollout awaits Ministerial decisions.
The Department told us that local authorities have a lot of discretion to make decisions impacting children’s social care provision. It described how, for example, some local authorities provided foster carers with capital grants to convert and increase the space available in their homes, while some local authorities informally cooperated on a regional basis.10 The Department has started...
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
85match
#2 - Third Report - COVID-19: Support for children’s education
Only a small minority of vulnerable children attended school in the early stages of the pandemic, increasing the risk of hidden harm. The Department acknowledges that the pandemic presented real safeguarding challenges. It kept schools open for vulnerable children—for example, those with a social worker or an education, health and care (EHC) plan, or those deemed ‘otherwise vulnerable’—because...
Matched on
terms: care, child, vulnerable
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
Committee recommendation
82match
#14 - Significant geographical disparities in children's home availability lead to unsuitable placements and poor outcomes.
There are disparities in the number and types of children’s home available in different areas across the country, particularly for children with more complex needs.29 For example, there are no secure homes across all of London, while South West England has disproportionately few homes with specialist provision for children with mental health problems.30 These disparities can lead to...
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
Committee recommendation
78match
#10 - Significant rise in children placed in unregistered homes with lengthy placement durations.
In recent years, the number of children reported to Ofsted as being placed in unregistered homes at some point each year rose significantly, from 147 during 2020–21 to 982 during 2023–24.20 More recently, the Children’s Commissioner found that as at September 2024, 775 children were in unregistered accommodation—around 10% of all children in residential care at that point...
Matched on
terms: care, child
Committee recommendation
76match
#15 - First Report: The impact of Covid-19 on maternity and parental leave
Adoptive parents and their children have faced uniquely challenging situations without the access to the professional and informal support that they need. These children are among the most vulnerable in society. In the most serious situations, we’ve heard that the negative impacts of Covid-19 could lead to an increase in adoption breakdown which would be devastating for parents...
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
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
Committee recommendation
70match
#29 - Youth Custody Service and Young Offender Institutions fail children with excessive cell time
The Youth Custody Service, and in particular Young Offender Institutions, is clearly not working for children. Children should not be spending up to 23 hours a day in cell due to the failure of HMPPS to manage behaviour effectively. It is disappointing that the only action the Government has taken has been the introduction of PAVA spray, which...
Matched on
terms: child
Committee recommendation
70match
#31 - Significant failings in age assessment lead to children in adult asylum accommodation
There are significant failings in the current processes for making initial decisions about age and unreliable decisions are still leading to children being incorrectly placed in adult accommodation. We do not have confidence that the arrangements for accommodation providers to identify and refer age dispute cases to the relevant local authority are consistently working as they should. This...
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
Committee recommendation
69match
#13 - Ensure consistent identifiers alert schools and GPs when children move into temporary accommodation.
Currently, schools are not always notified when a pupil becomes homeless or changes school due to a move into temporary accommodation. This prevents schools from offering additional support which those children may require. Similarly, GPs are often unaware that families are experiencing homelessness, leaving an incomplete picture of the health impacts of homelessness on children. (Conclusion, Paragraph 64)...
Matched on
terms: 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
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
Committee recommendation
66match
#40 - Young Offender Institutions routinely fail to meet minimum education hours for children
Article 28 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child affirms that all children have the right to education, including those in detention. Yet Young Offender Institutions are routinely failing to meet the statutory minimum of 15 hours of education per week—a failure that appears to be tolerated by the Government. Children should never be...
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
Committee recommendation
65match
#24 - Insufficient accountability for inconsistent SEND support and EHC plan delivery
We have heard about significant variability in the provision of SEN support and inconsistencies in the implementation of EHC plans across education settings. The limitations of the Local Government Ombudsman’s powers mean there is insufficient accountability for the delivery of SEND support, as well as other aspects of school-based provision. This has led to repeated failures to meet...
Matched on
terms: child
LGO / SPSO decision
64match
25-007-928 - North Yorkshire Council
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint that the police interviewed children without parental consent, and the Council misadvised the school. This is because we do not have the power to investigate the actions of the police. For those complaints within our jurisdiction, further investigation would not lead to a different outcome.
Matched on
terms: care, child
LGO / SPSO decision
64match
25-010-400 - Sheffield City Council
Summary: We will not investigate Ms X’s complaint about the Council’s actions in relation to ongoing family court proceedings which have led to her children being removed from her care. This is because there is no sign of fault in the Council’s decision not to consider her complaint until the court proceedings have concluded.
Matched on
terms: care, child
LGO / SPSO decision
64match
22-003-225 - Cumbria County Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint that the Council has delayed to a complaint under the children’s statutory complaints procedure. This is because there is insufficient evidence of fault by the Council.
Matched on
terms: care, child
LGO / SPSO decision
64match
21-006-071 - Kingston Upon Hull City Council
Summary: There was fault in how the Council dealt with Ms B when it placed her siblings in her care. The Council has completed the statutory children’s complaints process, which means the issues have been independently investigated, and a Panel has reviewed the investigation. The Council has acknowledged there was fault and agreed a means to remedy this....
Matched on
terms: care, child
LGO / SPSO decision
64match
23-020-148 - Cumberland Council
Summary: We will not investigate this complaint about delay on the Council’s part in completing the statutory procedure for complaints about children’s services matters. This is because there is insufficient outstanding injustice to warrant investigation.
Matched on
terms: care, child