Seven young care leavers died in seven months in Manchester www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater...

West Berkshire Council says the cost of children’s services has risen from £11 million in 2023 to a forecast £21.4 million next year. www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/council...

Appalling failures in the care of child with learning disabilities at this children’s home in Lewisham run by the private company Mastery Services’ Invictus Children’s Home. Judged inadequate by Ofsted at its first inspection. reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/2/2...

Councils keeping more children in care close to home win praise from @becomecharity.org.uk www.cypnow.co.uk/content/news...

Dudley Council’s children’s services face a £5 million ‘overspend’ this year www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-countr...

Vulnerable Devon children are ‘at the mercy of the market’ www.devonlive.com/news/devon-n...

A 13-year-old girl who went missing from her children's home was found nine days later in the house of a man who was later convicted of raping her, a safeguarding review has found. www.bbc.com/news/article...

Islington Council to vaccinate child in care after court win www.bbc.com/news/article...

Teens face 'cliff edge' when leaving care, MP says www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A Derbyshire Constabulary officer has been charged with assaulting a child at a care home, following an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). www.policeconduct.gov.uk/news/derbysh...

Thirteen-year-old went missing from care home after being placed more than 70 miles away from borough www.notreallyheremedia.com/news/oldham-...

Three applications for new children’s homes thrown out by Walsall Council www.expressandstar.com/news/local-h...

The government has ruled out changes to the proposed funding formula for children’s services, despite warnings from London boroughs that the reforms would have a “devastating” impact on services in the capital. www.room151.co.uk/funding/gove...

Child protection enquiry numbers hit record high, but significant harm found in less than third of cases www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/05/c...

Lots to pick over in this snapshot of care provision for children in Rotherham. Mostly, I’m struck by the presumption that hundreds of children will be shunted into so-called supported accommodation from the age of 16. www.thestar.co.uk/news/politic...

This isn’t an “economic crisis”. It is an opportunity to invest in people and communities. If you accept that helping people to fulfill their potential is worth £85bn, it is a win-win. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Ofsted warns of “serious concerns for the safety and wellbeing of children” sent to live at this children’s home run by Oxfordshire Council

The latest Week in Care is out, rounding up news and views about children’s services and the care of young people from the past seven days, with links to more than 40 articles. Subscribe to this free service via [email protected]

The latest Week in Care is out, rounding up news and views about children’s services and the care of young people from the past seven days, with links to more than 40 articles. Subscribe to this free service via [email protected]

MacAlister promises ‘major changes’ to fostering system, backed by ‘tens of millions of pounds’ www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/03/m...

A children’s home has been suspended after serious failures in the care of a highly vulnerable child, who was also left exposed to exploitation. reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/2/2...

Chanyta Buckley recalls how she asked social services to take her into care www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Time to rethink the role and number of guards on trains. The role has been hollowed out in recent years to cut costs. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Lack of post-18 kinship care support has almost driven me back into homelessness www.bigissue.com/opinion/kins...

Eye-watering’ costs of children in care being paid by Cleveland & Redcar Council to private companies, and children being moved hundreds of miles away www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teessid...

Couple who sold their bakery to foster 25 children crowned national care champions in Wales www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/couple-...

This Court of Appeal decision is troubling. IMV, the local authority had reasonable grounds to intervene, given the grandfather’s conviction for sex with children and the additional risk posed by the uncle. www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/court-o...

2025: a child in care is sleeping on a mattress on the floor in an ‘annex’. Ofsted visit prompted by a serious incident alert. Private company operating the annex illegally. Child’s place paid for by their LA / corporate parent. They will have a social worker and an independent reviewing officer.

Vulnerable children have been forced to sleep on a mattress on the floor with no bed frame at this so-called supported accommodation run by a private company, Ofsted revealed today.

Almost all children in 73 areas of England live in low-income households www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

The truth behind the disappearance of Charlene Downes: ‘She was reduced to this salacious, shocking story’ www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Privatisation of children’s homes and foster care was the worst privatisation

‘Dangerously outdated’: high court overturns ruling implying domestic violence would not affect children www.theguardian.com/law/2025/oct...

The Times: We must get absent children back into school. Also The Times: Scandal of cost of getting absent children back into school

Latest Week in Care is out, curating news, analysis and resources about children’s services and the care of young people from the past seven days. Sign up for a free weekly email via [email protected]

Farce in Derby, where a private company has been given retrospective planning permission for a children’s home for one year only, while the council monitors for anti-social behaviour. www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-n...

Powerful reporting by Aditya Chakrabortty on scourge of illegal HMOs. I would add that there’s a strong link between HMOs and proliferation of children’s homes in many areas. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Powerful film about Tina Frundt, who has dedicated her life to protecting children and young people from sex trafficking in Washington DC. Via @theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

Two vulnerable children live in this unsafe children’s home in Sheffield run by the private company Progressive Care, judged inadequate by Ofsted. reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/2/2...

A new report has raised concerns about the use of physical restraint and forced tube feeding in Edinburgh's inpatient mental health ward for 12 to 17-year-olds. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

From foster care to Champions League - Lloyd Kelly 'just getting started' www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

Grooming gang inquiry in crisis as second candidate for chair withdraws www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

Josh MacAlister’s plan to give children placement choice ‘unrealistic’, say social workers www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/10/22/j...

Girls sexually abused in Hounslow hotels by rich older men, claims ex children's home worker www.mylondon.news/news/west-lo...

The latest Week in Care is out, rounding up news and views about children’s services and the care of young people from the past seven days. This edition is the biggest ever, with links to 50 articles and resources. Sign up via [email protected]

Calls for action to tackle racial abuse affecting foster carers and children www.cypnow.co.uk/content/news...

Strong @childrenscomm.bsky.social call for urgent improvement to the care system for children and young people 1/ www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/resource/the...

Interesting @instituteforgovernment.org.uk report on children’s social care, which finds that costs are rising without an improvement in outcomes. www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/...

Seven children lived in appalling conditions at their family home in Stockport without food, water or heating - with excrement and urine on floors and mattresses - a safeguarding report has found. www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater...

Stark numbers revealed by Essex Council: it has nearly 100 children in residential care at an average cost of £300,000 per child a year. The 15 most expensive residential care placements collectively cost nearly £10 million. www.essexlive.news/news/essex-n...