• About
    • Privacy Policy
  • GSW
  • Guide To Making A Subject Access Request
  • In Dad’s Shoes
    • An Overview
    • Invitation
    • Media
    • Photos
    • Press Release
    • Soft Launch
    • Speeches
    • Summary
  • Media Coverage
  • Parliamentary Debates
  • Voice of the Child Podcasts

Researching Reform

Researching Reform

Monthly Archives: April 2017

Government Promises Regular Review Of Support On Offer For Domestic Violence Victims

28 Friday Apr 2017

Posted by Natasha in Domestic Violence, Researching Reform

≈ 2 Comments

In another debate in the House of Commons this week, Justice Minister Oliver Heald has promised to roll out a review programme which would regularly check and monitor support available for domestic violence victims.

When asked whether he accepted that the current provisions within the Legal Aid, Sentencing And Punishment Of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPO) were manifestly unfair to families exposed to domestic violence, Heald replied:

“[The Conservative Government] promised…. that there would be a review of LASPO and the legal aid provisions, and we have announced the timetable for that review, which has been welcomed, but I agree that we should have a process of constant improvement in helping the victims of domestic violence.”

We shouldn’t hold our breath though. The timetable to examine LASPO’s effects, which estimates a review will take place a year from now, gives the government ample time to avoid addressing the terrible mess it’s made of the legal system and what will likely be enormous expense as a result, at a delicate time when it is trying to suggest that its overall policies have regenerated the economy and made everyone better off. With the election in June too, it’s keen not to rock the boat and any promises about regular checks and balances are just that, promises. And we all know how easily promises in politics are made, and broken.

Some information on legal aid and accessing it if you have been or are a victim of domestic violence.

cropped-addams1.jpg

 

 

 

Share this:

  • WhatsApp
  • Pocket
  • Telegram
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Adoption Agencies Try To Claw Back Business As Numbers Free Fall

27 Thursday Apr 2017

Posted by Natasha in Adoption, Researching Reform

≈ 6 Comments

It was the judgment that brought to an almost grinding halt the seemingly unstoppable tide of adoptions taking place in England and Wales.

During a judgment in 2013, President of the Family Division Sir James Munby told the court and those working in the Family Justice System, that adoption was a method of last resort and that extended family members had to be considered before making such a draconian order.

What followed was a sharp drop in adoption numbers as local authorities feared adoption orders would lead to a backlash. Adoptions are still on the decline four years on, with recent year on year figures highlighting this trend. It’s a trend adoption and foster agencies are keen to stop.

A recent article over at Community Care which looks at whether Special Guardianship Orders are being used safely includes comments from adoption and fostering agencies which suggest that SGOs are reckless arrangements which endanger the lives of vulnerable children. Unlike adoption orders, SGOs usually place children in the hands of extended family, long time carers or a person the child is familiar with.

The article questions whether Special Guardianship Orders (SGOs) are safe, after a serious case review for Keegan Downer, an 18 month old baby who was killed by a relative after being granted an SGO, was published. Adoption and fostering agencies may see this case and others as an opportunity to sway policy back in favour of an implicit presumption of adoption.

Andy Elvin, who is the chief executive of TACT, the UK’s largest fostering and adoption charity slash agency, says the recent serious case reviews “broadly” represent things more commonly going wrong with SGO placements. He told Community Care that child deaths at the hands of Guardians “will continue to [crop up] until someone does something sensible about it”.

Naturally he goes on to defend fostering and adoption processes and suggests they are more robust than SGO procedures:

“SGO assessments just aren’t rigorous enough. It’s not a local authority’s fault, they aren’t being given the time to do them,” Elvin says.

And there is comment from CoramBAAF, too, a fostering and adoption agency and one with a potential conflict of interest, as it merged with a children’s legal centre in 2011 and now offers legal advice on adoptions and related issues as well.

John Simmonds, the director of policy at CoramBAAF, takes the view that the government’s changes to SGO assessments have made no difference at all. An odd view given that the changes John refers to only came in after Keegan Downer’s death. John goes on to say:

“You can try and up the game on regulation, but if you don’t have the time and resources to do what then needs to be done, they become meaningless, so I haven’t seen any difference whatsoever. These are vulnerable children in very vulnerable circumstances – haste does nothing, and the rule of optimism does nothing to help with that.”

Whilst both Simmonds and Elvin have a point about time and resources, this point stretches right across the board to adoptions and fostering arrangements as everyone scrambles to meet the 26 week deadline for care proceedings. It’s ridiculous, and irrational to blame SGOs for child deaths when the entire system is struggling to manage risk and child welfare concerns with borrowed time, fewer resources and inadequate training for such specialist work. We also know that children die at the hands of adoptive parents, too, though no data has currently been collected to highlight whether these kinds of deaths are more prevalent than child deaths at the hands of Guardians.

The article in Community Care, which is balanced and well written, offers a counter point to the adoption and fostering agency’s self interest-driven scaremongering.

Cathy Ashley, chief executive of the Family Rights Group warns about the dangers in making huge generalisations about SGOs, and Judith Harwin, co-director of the Centre for Child and Family Justice Research at Lancaster University, who is researching special guardianship and breakdown rates says the risk is low for most children, and concerns that SGOs are dangerous might be the reaction to a “minority of extreme cases”.

An excellent article, and well worth a read.

Protection2

Share this:

  • WhatsApp
  • Pocket
  • Telegram
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

MPs Debate Grandparents’ Access To Grandchildren After Separation And Divorce

27 Thursday Apr 2017

Posted by Natasha in child welfare, Researching Reform

≈ 3 Comments

Many of our readers are grandparents who are unable to see or visit their grandchildren after parental divorce or separation, so when we saw this debate in the House of Commons, we thought it was important to share it.

On 25th April, David Mackintosh MP hosted a discussion in Westminster Hall which asked the House of Commons to look at grandparents’ ability to see their grandchildren when a change of circumstances within the family unit takes place.

Several issues come to light in the discussion. The first is that a lack of contact with grandchildren after separation or divorce is far reaching and appears to be affecting a substantial, and ever growing number of grandparents across the country.

A charity in Northampton called GranPart is also mentioned, which acts as a support group for grandparents who have lost touch with their grandchildren.

A suggestion to insert a new clause in the Children Act 1989 that bolsters grandparents’ access to grandchildren is also made, much like the amendment pushed through in 2014 which encourages family courts to work from the presumption that both parents should be involved in a child’s life where right for the child.

Matthew Offord MP suggests switching perspective and copying France: there, children are given the right to contact with extended family.

Some grandparents felt that the court system was entirely the wrong place to sort out contact between themselves and their grandchildren, due the traumatic nature of the process.

The idea of removing a current barrier to access in the form of grandparents having to ask permission to apply for contact was also put forward, replacing it with an automatic presumption allowing applications for contact.

There was also the suggestion to offer grandparents free legal advice to better understand the process as it can often be complicated for grandparents who are hoping to reconnect with grandchildren. For example at the moment, grandparents have to ask permission from a court to apply for a child arrangement order, but they can only apply if they have lived with the child for three years. Permission to ask for contact can cause problems for grandparents because of the thresholds in place which include several requirements.

Once such requirement is that grandparents must have stayed with the child for a minimum of three years. However, this is a crude measuring stick, because whilst some grandparents may not have spent three years with the child, they may be on hand regularly providing significant support and assistance. This point is also discussed at the meeting, and a proposal to consider child minding as a key factor in negotiating contact between grandparents and their grandchildren is mentioned.

The debate is worth reading in full, for all the thoughts put forward and also the very sweet sentiments expressed by MPs who also happen to be grandparents, like this one from Jim Shannon:

“I declare an interest—because I am of that age—as a doting grandfather. Looking round the Chamber, I am not sure whether everyone is a grandparent, but I know that you, Mr Streeter, are one of the people who have achieved that goal. When I held my eldest son Jamie in my arms some 29 years ago, I thought that nothing in this world could top the pride and love that I felt as I looked into that perfect little face. I was wrong. There was a little girl who made her way into this world and into a special place in her grandfather’s heart that had never been touched before. My little Katie is eight years old. When I thought there was no more room left in my heart, little Mia came along—she is just three years old—underlining the fact that there is nothing more enjoyable than time with grandchildren. There is also the fact that, as we all know, they can be handed back whenever they get a bit stroppy. That is one of the great advantages of being a grandparent.”

GP GD.png

 

Share this:

  • WhatsApp
  • Pocket
  • Telegram
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

In The News

25 Tuesday Apr 2017

Posted by Natasha in News, Researching Reform

≈ 2 Comments

The latest headlines on child welfare:

  • School holidays leave 3 million children at risk of hunger, report says
  • Home Office stages U-turn on decision to reject London-born children of EU couple living in UK
  • Smartphone app ‘tells parents when children are sexting’

news12

Share this:

  • WhatsApp
  • Pocket
  • Telegram
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Question it!

24 Monday Apr 2017

Posted by Natasha in Question It, Researching Reform

≈ 5 Comments

Welcome to another week.

As we begin National Stalking Awareness Week here in the UK, new figures have been published which suggest that stalkers are unlikely to be jailed, even if they are repeat offenders. 

Ministry of Justice data reveal that almost two-thirds of those who breached their orders received a non-custodial sentence. The report also confirmed that even when the offender had committed multiple breaches, a custodial term was unlikely.

Furthermore, almost 60% of offenders who breached a second time avoided a custodial sentence and nearly half of those who breached a third time (49%) avoided jail, as did 38% of those who breached on four occasions.

So, for this week, we aren’t going to ask you a question. Instead, we’re inviting you to share your thoughts on, or experiences of stalking in order to raise awareness.

Questions

Share this:

  • WhatsApp
  • Pocket
  • Telegram
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Local Authorities’ Handling Of Neglected Children To Be Investigated.

21 Friday Apr 2017

Posted by Natasha in child welfare, Researching Reform

≈ 25 Comments

The government has just announced that it will carry out a series of inspections on public bodies working with neglected children.

The inspections which will start in May this year, aim to assess how effectively organisations like local authorities, police and probation services work together to help and protect children aged between 7 and 15, the age group considered to be most at risk of neglect, abuse and exploitation.

There will be 6 inspections, which from May until December will focus on children’s experiences at the hands of these organisations. Findings highlighting what works and what needs to be improved will be published when all six inspections are complete.

A further overview report will then be published to offer guidance on good practice in this area.

An initial series of inspections were carried out in January 2016 which looked at children at risk of sexual exploitation, and those who went missing from school or care.

We hope the latest round of inspections reveal the deep dysfunction amongst these organisations who continue to work against, rather than with, each other. There is still an enormous amount of mistrust between agencies like the police and the local authority, which often has serious consequences for the children in their care.

We’ll keep you up to date with any developments.

Thank you to Nick for alerting us to this item.

s300_children_leaning_on_wall

 

Share this:

  • WhatsApp
  • Pocket
  • Telegram
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

RR For The Huffington Post – The New Malalas Using Education To Pioneer Peace

19 Wednesday Apr 2017

Posted by Natasha in Huffington Post, Researching Reform

≈ 2 Comments

This month for The Huffington Post we chose to write about a new education initiative in Afghanistan co founded by two female students against a backdrop of violent extremism, war and massive gender inequality. These young women are risking their lives to bring about peace in their country, and they’re using education and the internet to do it.

The project was launched in March, but it’s already gone global. Experience what daily life is like for these students in a world where they often find themselves hostages in their own classrooms.

You can read the article here. 

Malala

 

 

Share this:

  • WhatsApp
  • Pocket
  • Telegram
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

The Buzz

19 Wednesday Apr 2017

Posted by Natasha in Researching Reform, The Buzz

≈ 4 Comments

The news items that should be right on your radar:

  • Mentoring scheme for social workers and adopters
  • Police investigating child abuse in football receive 400 new referrals
  • Foster carers not put through repeat vetting, health watchdog finds (Ireland)

Buzz

Share this:

  • WhatsApp
  • Pocket
  • Telegram
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Prime Minister Announces General Election

18 Tuesday Apr 2017

Posted by Natasha in child welfare, Researching Reform

≈ 4 Comments

At 11.15am this morning, Prime Minister Theresa May made a surprise announcement. She plans to hold a general election on 8th June this year.

The impact on this in relation to children’s rights could be concerning. Her welfare cuts are already set to plunge more than one million children into poverty, and with wider powers both nationally and in relation to Brexit negotiations should her party win, she could implement more policies set to hit the most vulnerable.

The general election is a strategic move. Whilst May insists she made the decision to hold a vote in June “recently and reluctantly” this is not the case. May and her cabinet would have discussed this option as soon as she entered office in order to strengthen the party’s credibility and ensure they could enjoy the benefits of a Conservative Prime Minister in full. With party politics at an all time low and Labour barely able to mount an opposition, Conservatives believe they are striking whilst the iron is hot.

But the move doesn’t come without its risks. Pro EU voters will see this as a call to arms, a chance to undo Brexit plans. There may well be a stronger turnout this June than for the Referendum in June of last year, and perhaps another surprise for May.

We will have to wait and see.

May

 

Share this:

  • WhatsApp
  • Pocket
  • Telegram
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...

Question It!

17 Monday Apr 2017

Posted by Natasha in Question It, Researching Reform

≈ 18 Comments

Welcome to another week.

A young woman in Wales has made headlines today after a local authority came under fire for putting her baby up for adoption without her consent. A police watchdog also found failings with the police force handling her case.

Despite being a victim of abuse, and evidence clearly showing the abuse, the police and the local authority failed to treat her as such. The girl’s father believes that the shoddy handling of his daughter’s case led to the forced adoption of her child. The local authority in question is now being investigated.

Her father said in a statement:

“It’s true that she became involved with drink and drugs, but her problems were greatly exacerbated by the failure to provide her with proper support.

“Her former partner has been convicted of assaulting her, but initially the police did not see her as a victim of domestic abuse.

“It is heartbreaking that her child has been taken away from her for adoption. It’s an enormous blow that has had a devastating impact on her. At present she is greatly traumatised by what has happened and finding it very difficult to cope.”

Here are some of the findings from the report published by The Independent Police Complaints Commission:

  • Police did not arrest the offender at the time of the assault
  • The incident of domestic violence was not properly reported or considered

Claims made against Vale of Glamorgan council which will be investigated by The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales include:

  • Enrolling the mother on a programme that involved participating in joint counselling sessions with her abusive partner.
  • Failure of the council to comply with its legal duty to “assess the care and needs of a child for care and support”

Crucially, the news item reports that the teenage mother did not feel safe during the sessions because her partner was assaulting her afterwards. As a result she was perceived by social workers to be withdrawn and uncooperative.

Our question this week then, is just this: do you think the training for child protection professionals when it comes to domestic abuse and the steps that follow when deciding to remove a child in such a situation are good enough? 

face_question_mark

Share this:

  • WhatsApp
  • Pocket
  • Telegram
  • Share on Tumblr
  • Email
  • Print

Like this:

Like Loading...
← Older posts

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 8,452 other subscribers

Contact Researching Reform

Huff Post Contributer

For Litigants in Person

Child Welfare Debates

April 2017
M T W T F S S
 12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
« Mar   May »

Children In The Vine : Stories From The Family Justice System

Categories

  • Adoption
  • All Party Parliamentary Group on Family Law and The Court of Protection
  • Articles
  • Big Data
  • Bills
  • Case Study
  • child abuse
  • child abuse inquiry
  • child welfare
  • Children
  • Children In The Vine
  • Circumcision
  • Civil Partnerships
  • Consultation
  • Conversations With…
  • Corporal Punishment
  • CSA
  • CSE
  • Data Pack
  • Domestic Violence
  • Encyclopaedia on Family and The Law
  • event
  • Family Law
  • Family Law Cases
  • FGM
  • FOI
  • forced adoption
  • Foster Care
  • Fudge of the Week
  • Fultemian Project
  • Huffington Post
  • Human Rights
  • IGM
  • Inquiry
  • Interesting Things
  • Interview
  • Judge of the Week
  • Judges
  • judicial bias
  • Law to lust for
  • legal aid
  • LexisNexis Family Law
  • LIP Service
  • LIPs
  • Marriage
  • McKenzie Friends
  • MGM
  • News
  • Notes
  • petition
  • Picture of the Month
  • Podcast
  • Question It
  • Random Review
  • Real Live Interviews
  • Research
  • Researching Reform
  • social services
  • social work
  • Spotlight
  • Stats
  • Terrorism
  • The Buzz
  • The Times
  • Troubled Families Programme
  • Twitter Conversations
  • Update
  • Voice of the Child
  • Voice of the Child Podcast
  • Westminster Debate
  • Who's Who Cabinet Ministers
  • Your Story

Recommended

  • Blawg Review
  • BlogCatalog
  • DaddyNatal
  • DadsHouse
  • Divorce Survivor
  • Enough Abuse UK
  • Family Law Week
  • Family Lore
  • Flawbord
  • GeekLawyer's Blog
  • Head of Legal
  • Just for Kids Law
  • Kensington Mums
  • Law Diva
  • Legal Aid Barristers
  • Lib Dem Lords
  • Lords of The Blog
  • Overlawyered
  • PAIN
  • Paul Bernal's Blog
  • Public Law Guide
  • Pupillage Blog
  • Real Lawyers Have Blogs
  • Story of Mum
  • Sue Atkins, BBC Parenting Coach
  • The Barrister Blog
  • The Magistrate's Blog
  • The Not So Big Society
  • Tracey McMahon
  • UK Freedom of Information Blog
  • WardBlawg

Archives

  • Follow Following
    • Researching Reform
    • Join 813 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Researching Reform
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: