Sky documentary about the death of a very young care leaver, Nonita Grabovskyte, and how we and @inquest-org.bsky.social joined forces to fight for justice for her. Link to documentary here: article39.org.uk/2025/11/11/a...

🚨 We welcome the Children’s Commissioner’s warning: every home for a child in care must legally provide care, not just support. Currently, 16-17-year-olds in year can end up in places that are only legally required to support them. shorturl.at/BdbPU @article39.bsky.social

Today, at public hearings for Module 8: Children and Young People we will hear evidence from three witnesses: Dr Shona Arora, Carolyne Willow and Lucy Frazer KC.

I was working with several children in custody in 2020. It was just awful for them. Unless they chose to phone me (one child did; multiple times each day) I had no idea how they were.

UK Covid-19 Inquiry, day 1 hearing: strong and consistent calls for making the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child fully part of UK law article39.org.uk/uk-covid-19-...

UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s dedicated hearings on children and young people start this Monday 29 September, through to 23 October. Article 39 is a core participant. We will be holding last government to account and pressing for greater rights protection, more here: article39.org.uk/2025/09/26/i...

🪜✨ Thinking of our dear friend Ian Dickson today. Lifetime champion of children and young people, always spoke truth to power. Before he died, he advised us to know the difference between all the brilliant people working in children’s care settings, and the cowboys. article39.org.uk/our-story/ch...

In addition to the headline used, this is also a report of a young child in care dying and his foster mum fighting for justice for him.

❗️Alarmed by harms suffered by children, & scale of LA non-compliance with law, this year we published two new resources, and updated a third. For teenagers: rights4children.org.uk/aged-16-or-1... For social workers: article39.org.uk/advice-and-r... For advocates: article39.org.uk/wp-content/u...

No ambulance available to take a black child to hospital for urgent mental health assessment and care. Police given task instead. Two police officers assault child. www.voice-online.co.uk/news/uk-news...

❗As we warned: 2021 changes to care planning secondary legislation have radically restructured children's care system, giving veneer of legitimacy to what was once shameful. ⬇️ This kind of accommodation is meant to be restricted to children able to manage without any care or consistent supervision.

An insightful child focused commentary from Article 39.

NEW: Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill Our initial analysis of the Bill was published this morning: Sorry we cannot join the chorus of congratulations. We expect so much more for children and young people.

NEW: Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill Our initial analysis of the Bill was published this morning. Sorry we cannot join the chorus of congratulations. We expect so much more for children and young people. article39.org.uk/childrenswel...

From Ofsted’s latest inspection of Nottingham children’s services: “A significant proportion of children who have entered care in the last six months have previously been in care.”

⬇️ So this happened today! article39.org.uk/2024/12/12/a...

State of child protection in England. Parents asked to sign agreements with social workers not to hit their children, because the law allows parental assault. The ‘reasonable chastisement’ common law defence for child assault is from a case in 1860.

“Cost of sales”

Correction - Gift Aid carried us over our target. Excellent 🌟

👏 We're very grateful to all those who were able to donate, and to those who helped spread the word. Just a whisker away from our target of £6,000 - this will make a big difference to our little charity. THANK YOU! #BigGiveChallenge

#BigGiveChallenge Wow, we are very very close to our £6,000 total target (with match funds). 🙏 Thanks so much everyone. Closes midday Tues (tomorrow): donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...

#BigGiveChallenge Fingers crossed we can raise another £2,000 by Tuesday midday - every single donation doubled! 🔆 Minimum donation £1: donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05... Please help us if you can.

None of what is described would be tolerated were children to be seen and treated as human beings with feelings and rights. www.theguardian.com/education/20...

🎄We're part of this year's #ChristmasChallenge. From midday today (3 Dec), our supporters have 7 days to donate to our unique children's rights advice service. 🙌 Every donation made this week will be doubled whilst match funds last! donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...

🎄We're part of this year's #ChristmasChallenge. From midday today (3 Dec), our supporters have 7 days to donate to our unique children's rights advice service. 🙌Every donation made this week will be doubled whilst match funds last!

Go figure. Our little charity went to court to try and stop last government telling local authorities through law and policy that children in care aged 16 and 17 don’t need care where they live. Court was told it would cost £500m to ensure care for every child. Not feasible, government said.

"And children’s rights charity Article 39 described the decision as “unforgivable”, while highlighting the lack of specific plans in the DfE’s wider social care strategy to ensure the voices of children and young people are heard." www.communitycare.co.uk/2024/11/29/d...

"And children’s rights charity Article 39 described the decision as “unforgivable”, while highlighting the lack of specific plans in the DfE’s wider social care strategy to ensure the voices of children and young people are heard." www.communitycare.co.uk/2024/11/29/d...

Yes, retaining 1860 common law defence for parents (& others) charged with assaulting a child is morally repugnant ⬇️ ... in England there’s still an exception for “reasonable punishment” – a fact Wanless described as “morally repugnant”. www.theguardian.com/society/2024...

Excellent to see Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel sound the alarm on government stalling vital developments in advocacy for disabled children, intended to help prevent abuse. We described this as “unforgivable” in our response to govt announcements 18 Nov: article39.org.uk/labour-gover...

Yesterday, Greater Manchester approved free travel passes for young people who have experienced care up until the age of 25. Through devolution, important progressive steps continue to be made.

Grim. Provision of Independent Advocacy is already patchy, under-resourced and misunderstood.

In our social work law course we emphasise that "no recourse to public funds" doesn't mean no eligibility for social care. This tragic case shows why that's so important. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024...

Excellent to see Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel sound the alarm on government stalling vital developments in advocacy for disabled children, intended to help prevent abuse. We described this as “unforgivable” in our response to govt announcements 18 Nov: article39.org.uk/labour-gover...

Sounds sensible to extend corporate parenting principles to government departments, right? Wrong. Read why we don’t support the Home Office and others becoming ‘corporate parents’ of children in care, and more here: article39.org.uk/labour-gover...

Here we go again with media exposure of appalling mistreatment of very vulnerable children, and policy makers declaring "this is intolerable - never again". Legislation *passed in 2009* must now be commenced, as a first step in protecting children. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Agreed, we really need to rethink children’s homes. So much needs to be done.

‼️ Social workers (inc managers) making decisions about children aged 16 and 17 who are without a home and parental care - please read our FOI research findings and a brand new resource created just for you: article39.org.uk/2024/11/25/c...

**Mental Health Bill Second Reading, in House of Lords this evening** Here's Lord Crisp describing the experiences of members of our Blooming Change group ⬇️

Not long now until our Blooming Change group attends #CYPNowAwards. Members have all experienced detention under the Mental Health Act 1983 as children. 📝 Their briefing on priorities for the Mental Health Bill also landing with Peers ahead of Second Reading debate on Mon.

Not long now until our brilliant Blooming Change group attends #CYPNowAwards. Members have all experienced detention under the Mental Health Act 1983 as children. 📝 Their briefing on priorities for the Mental Health Bill also landing with Peers ahead of Second Reading debate on Monday.

Why do we even have a ‘market’ for homes for children who rely on the state for parenting? A new government should go back to first principles: ❓What do children need throughout their childhood and adult lives? ❓What are the risks for children in perpetuating a privatised ‘care system’?

‘…the right to be recognised and counted as a human being…’ So obvious & yet so often denied children in all its iterations: the rights to birth registration, acquire a nationality and be seen and heard before the law.

💬 You can read Lady Hale's speech on our website. Have a re-read of the Convention on the Rights of the Child too. Imagine how being a child would be in our country today if successive governments had honoured this wonderful human rights treaty.

💬 You can read Lady Hale's speech on our website. Have a re-read of the Convention on the Rights of the Child too. Imagine how being a child would be in our country today if successive governments had honoured this wonderful human rights treaty. article39.org.uk/2024/11/20/3...

@article39.bsky.social are super heroes for looked after children 🙌 article39.org.uk/2024/11/15/c...

⚡️Not only do latest Department for Education statistics (published last week) show that use of care-less accommodation is increasing, they also suggest Ofsted and government are aware that local authorities are housing 15, 16 and 17 year-olds in care-less properties unlawfully.

Tomorrow marks 35 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and I joined theLady Hale lecture hosted by @article39.bsky.social It was fantastic - I've read Lady Hales book & it was inspiring hearing her speak. Lots to celebrate and lots to still do for #childrensrights.