Reflective Fostering Programme, developed by experts at Anna Freud, a mental health charity for children and young people, helps foster carers avoid burnout, finds UCL research www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2026/fe...

Planning appeal defeats objectors to new Derby children's home www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-n...

West Midlands planners tell applicant 'no' in bid for children’s care home after 60 objections www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midland...

DfE drive to cut fostering 'bureaucracy' sparks safeguarding concerns www.communitycare.co.uk/content/news...

A teenager has been sentenced to a minimum term of 13 years for murdering 12-year-old Leo Ross on his way home from school. Leo’s foster family described him as "the sweetest, kindest boy who put others before himself.” www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Edinburgh’s children's social work leadership team lacks 'environment of trust' among staff news.stv.tv/east-central...

Eva Brooke’s’ new BBC podcast looks at how the experience of being a transracial adoptee, born in one culture, raised in another, has shaped her life www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The Government has announced expanded support for adopted children. This includes a £5m increase in funding for the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund over the next 12 months, taking total funding to £55 million. www.gov.uk/government/n...

Government to cover 90% of existing council SEND debts www.tes.com/magazine/new...

Another important step by the Welsh Government towards removing profit from the care of children looked after: consultation to support implementation of removing profit from the care of children looked after – local authority annual sufficiency plans www.gov.wales/written-stat...

Southampton Council warns that the weekly cost of places in children’s homes has increased by 16% over the past two years. www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/2583635...

“My son was groomed by drug dealers and killed, but my pleas for help were ignored” www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The chief of a council whose use of unregistered children's homes has contributed to a near £10m overspend has called the system "broken". www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

'I want to be a role model for other care leavers' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Norfolk County Council in plea for 50 new foster carers www.edp24.co.uk/news/2581628...

Copy and paste your personal response to the Government’s proposals for foster care reform

Powys council cuts agency children's social workers to 10 www.countytimes.co.uk/news/2583350...

£9.5 million investment to support care experienced children across Scotland www.publicsectorexecutive.com/articles/ps9...

This CYP Now roundup of reaction to the Government’s plan to shake up fostering does not include an actual foster carer www.cypnow.co.uk/content/anal...

Nick Campbell: “How I helped to uncover my teacher’s estimated 2,000 abuse cases.” www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/...

New data on children's home ownership reveals a surge in provision run by commercial investors and individuals. www.cypnow.co.uk/content/rese...

Employment contracts have no place in fostering: my latest column via Substack open.substack.com/pub/martinba...

Employment contracts have no place in fostering: my latest column via Substack open.substack.com/pub/martinba...

Powys council cuts agency children's social workers to 10 www.countytimes.co.uk/news/2583350...

What the actual f…?

Thousands of children in temporary accommodation in Manchester will be able to travel to school by bus for free www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater...

The one in which I try to explain what’s going on behind all the recent headlines about foster care. Via Substack. open.substack.com/pub/martinba...

I think Parliament should leave the Palace of Westminster for good and set up in a purpose-built building, with a streamlined Commons and elected senate, unencumbered by absurd traditions and practices. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Social work roles to be regionalised in DfE drive to create 10,000 more foster places www.communitycare.co.uk/content/news...

Ex-care worker denies offences at children's home www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Newcastle children's home refusal overturned by planning inspector www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-e...

There’s a v cynical media and political blindspot in the Epstein shitshow. A feeding frenzy to get rid of Starmer while red-carpeting Farage into No10. Who is named in the files. As is Candy, Reform’s treasurer. With Bannon. And Brexit. Don’t cry about abuses of power and then do nothing about him.

More regional care co-operatives to be set up under DfE plan www.communitycare.co.uk/content/news...

Labour’s blueprint for a foster care reset has much to commend it. But disdain for children’s homes is a deep concern. My latest column via Substack open.substack.com/pub/martinba...

DfE announces £10mn to create 'powerful' network of regional care co-operatives www.cypnow.co.uk/content/news...

Big day: Ministers to crackdown on profiteering in care sector and make renewed fostering push www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

Croydon Council has increased foster care allowances for the first time since 2022 news.croydon.gov.uk/croydon-coun...

The care home millionaire Osman Ertosun is diversifying into children’s homes, which sounds ominous thecareruk.com/excelcare-ac...

A couple who have spent the last 30 years providing "love and stability" to vulnerable young people have been awarded their town's highest honour - joining the likes of Danny Boyle, Elbow, and Keiran Trippier. www.itv.com/news/granada...

The Week in Care is out, with links to more than 50 articles about children’s services and the care of young people. Sign up for this free weekly email via [email protected]

Mandelson has been resigning from top jobs since 1996 but always falls upwards

The shortage of specialist mental health beds "more than minimally contributed" to the death of a 16‑year‑old who died while sectioned, a jury has found. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Mandelson has behaved disgracefully throughout his career but he has always been allowed to fall upwards by political leaders and by journalists. www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cl...

Kent County Council has written to the government demanding changes in the way resources are allocated, after its children's services were downgraded. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Imagine having so much money that you don’t know whether or not someone sent you $75,000

Private equity owns lion’s share of children’s foster services and is ‘bleeding the sector of money’ observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

Hey, Sunday Times, rich people don’t ’give’ tax, like a gift to the poor. That’s not how it works.

New regulations come into effect in Scotland to strengthen safeguards for children in care sent from England www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/child-protec...

Falling pupil numbers could cost London schools £45 million in funding, warns new report. Via @politicshome.bsky.social www.politicshome.com/news/article...

It is kicking off in Surrey over a proposed home for three children with learning disabilities www.surreyworld.co.uk/news/politic...