Welfare Reform on the Web (November 2000): Child Welfare - UK
AFTER THE EVENT
L. Green
Community Care, no. 1337, 2000, p. 20-21
Argues that without flexible and on-going post-adoption support, many placements will fail.
BROWN'S NEST EGG FOR CHILDREN IN CARE
P. Waugh
Independent, Aug. 28th 2000, p. 1
Children in care could receive a government "trust fund" of several thousand pounds on reaching adulthood, under radical plans to transform the lives of Britain's most deprived youngsters. The scheme would pay child benefit for those in foster care or council homes into a special account and they would be entitled to spend it on education or training when they reached the age of 18.
DYING FOR A BETTER LIFE
R. Winchester
Community Care, no. 1340, 2000, p. 26-27
Argues that inter-country adoptions put the needs of childless adults before the best interests of the child. Suggests that it would be preferable to support countries in developing their own child care services so that children can be cared-for locally.
FAMILIAR RING TO TORY PROPOSALS
M. Hunter
Community Care, no. 1338, 2000, p. 12
Tory policies on adoption and protection against sex offenders for children are very similary to Labour's. The two exceptions are Conservative plans to remove children's homes from local authority ownership and to create a Children's Rights Commissioner.
FOSTERING WAGES SOAR AS AUTHORITIES TRY TO PLACE CHALLENGING CHILDREN
R. McKay
Community Care, no. 1335, 2000, p. 2-3
Reports a drive by local authorities towards recruiting full-time contract foster carers to look after young people with more challenging behaviour rather than sending them to residential homes.
FULL-TIME FOSTERING GETS AIRBORNE
R. Winchester
Community Care, no. 1336, 2000, p. 10-11
The need to attract foster carers and the difficulties of dealing with challenging teenagers have led many councils to pay for full-time foster carers.
HIGH HURDLES
R. Winchester
Community Care, no. 1335, 2000, p. 23
The success rate for adoption applications is less than 5%. Most fail not because the applicants are turned down but because they give up due to unrealistic expectations, bad timing and disillusionment with the response received from adoption agencies.
NO KIDDING AROUND ON RIGHTS
C. Woodley
Municipal Journal, Sept. 15th-21st 2000, p. 15
Reports on moves by councils to incorporate children's rights into all aspects of their work. Initiatives include appointment of children's rights officers, use of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child as a policy framework and use of new technology to empower children.
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE NEED A CHAMPION TO PROTECT THEM
Y. Roberts
Guardian, Aug. 29th 2000, p. 22
Calls for the establishment of an English Commission for Children's Rights.
PROFESSIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR PERSONAL ADVISERS IN THE CONNEXIONS SERVICE: PROPOSALS FOR CONSULTATION
Department for Education and Employment
Nottingham: 2000
Proposes a three-fold structure to train existing professionals to work as personal advisers in the Connexions Service from April 2001. Training will include a foundation programme, an extension programme enabling advisers to build on their core skills, and a management programme. In the medium term, the extension programme would become the expected level for qualified personal adviser status. Training would focus on four key skills and knowledge areas:
- information gathering and assessment;
- planning, intervention, support and guidance;
- working with other agencies, and monitoring;
- reviewing and evaluation.
THE PROVISION OF CHILDCARE
L. Harker
New Economy, vol. 7, 2000, pl. 172-175
Despite a growing demand for childcare, public sector nurseries have declined to almost half the level of 1990. Governments have relied on the private and voluntary sectors to fill the gap. New Labour has addressed the problem of provision of affordable childcare through
- investment in out-of-school clubs;
- state funding of nursery places for three-year-olds;
- introduction of the childcare tax credit in 1999.
WHO'S SORRY NOW?
Y. Alibhai-Brown
Community Care, no. 1340, 2000, p. 14
Questions the utility of inter-country adoptions which are often more about meeting the needs of the adoptive parents than about ensuring the welfare of the child.