Today the Independent Care Review has published a ‘Case for Change’ report, setting out what it believes needs changing most in children’s social care, based on evidence gathered so far with people who have lived experience of care and those working with children and families.
In response, Coram Chief Executive Dr Carol Homden said:
“The Case for Change report is expansive, incisive and bold. It sets out the challenges within children’s social care and rightly recognises that the big question is less what needs to happen to improve than how we secure the changes and solutions that children and families need.
“We were pleased to see the recognition of the importance of relationships – both within families and with professionals – as we know from our work just how crucial these are to children’s wellbeing. The focus on early help and working closely with families was also welcome, as we know the harm done by not getting the help you need as early as possible.
“It is disappointing that there is limited focus on the timescale and direct support needs of children themselves, including through therapeutic and respite services, advocacy and legal advice as they navigate challenging family circumstances and the special educational needs they can face.
“The lack of attention on migrant children is a key omission and we will work with the review team to address this in the coming weeks and months.
“Money is of course no silver bullet, but it is important to see strong acknowledgement of the challenging conditions which children’s social care operates given the substantial loss of preventative services and support such as drugs or alcohol treatment during a decade of austerity.”