Press

A lack of consistent and effective transition support for vulnerable young people when they turn 18 is leading to unacceptable poor outcomes, a new report has found. Titled ‘Destination Unknown’, the Children’s Services Development Group’s (CSDG) report sets out the “cliff edge in support” care leavers and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) face when they leave care or specialist education, and the huge detriment this can have to their life outcomes.

The Children’s Services Development Group (CSDG) wholeheartedly welcomes the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee’s report following its inquiry into the funding of local authority children’s services, and the recommendations it has made to ensure all children and young people receive the high quality, outcomes-focused care they require. CSDG was pleased to have been invited to give oral evidence to the inquiry and support the Committee’s recognition of the essential role independent providers play in helping local authorities meet rising demand, particularly for children with more specialist and complex needs.

The Children’s Services Development Group (CSDG), in partnership with a range of children’s charities and provider and local authority groups, has today launched the first consensus-driven policy report on the State of Children’s Services 2018-19. The report is a snapshot of current thinking in the sector and is a basis for more in-depth discussions with government and the wider sector about children’s services policy and delivery – considering the sector in the round rather than in service area silos.

The Children’s Services Development Group (CSDG) wholeheartedly welcomes the Education Select Committee’s report on fostering, and the important recommendations it has made to ensure high quality, outcomes-focused care is provided to all children in care. We particularly welcome the Committee’s conclusion that fostering placements should be made based on an expert and carefully considered analysis of each child’s needs, rather than on cost alone.

The Children’s Services Development Group (CSDG), represented by Iain Anderson, Group Chief Executive, NFA Group, welcomed the opportunity to appear today before the House of Commons Education Select Committee as part of its fostering inquiry. CSDG used the opportunity to highlight how Independent Fostering Agencies (IFAs) make a valuable contribution to children’s social care, providing a large number of quality placements, often for children with particularly specialist and complex needs.

An exploratory report from leading cross-party think tank Demos, commissioned by the Children’s Services Development Group (CSDG), has identified the critical success factors for outsourcing in children’s services. The Government has sent a clear message to local authority children’s services departments – there is zero tolerance for failure. However with budgets under significant pressure and a growing number of children entering the care system, authorities are often reaching breaking point before exploring new ways of delivering services. This fails to achieve value for money and can significantly impact on the stability and outcomes of vulnerable young people.

The Children’s Services Development Group (CSDG) welcomes the publication of the government’s paper Putting Children First. The paper sits alongside Sir Martin Narey’s review of residential care which also highlights the important role of the private sector in delivering quality residential provision.

The Children’s Services Development Group (CSDG) has welcomed the announcement of the Children and Social Work Bill in the Queen’s Speech to improve children’s services and opportunities for care leavers. The Bill announced today will seek to set standards for local authorities to act as a ‘corporate parent’ in order to better support children in care and as they move to adult life. We hope this measure, as well as moves to enhance opportunities for care leavers, will help improve life chances for the most vulnerable young people in our society.

A poll published today has revealed the majority of MPs (70 per cent) agree children should be placed with an independent provider rather than the local authority if the placement best suits the needs of the child. The polling, commissioned by the Children’s Services Development Group (CSDG) and conducted by the research agency ComRes, surveyed 150 MPs from different parties across the UK on pressures on local authority services and the independent care sector.