Concerns have been raised by charity chiefs, sector leaders and academics over the raft of inquiries and examinations which could lead to “confusion” among professionals and organisations asked to submit responses.
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Jonathan Stanley, manager of the National Centre for Excellence in Residential Child Care, said: “How is it possible that all of these reviews have emerged in such close proximity?
“The residential child care sector does not have the resources to respond to all of the reviews in the depth required. The sector is tiny compared to others.
“There is a serious issue here. There are obstacles that will prevent the sector responding in the depth and detail that will inform the reviews,” Stanley added.
Robin Sen, a lecturer in social work at the University of Dundee and an honorary research fellow at the University of Sheffield, added that the sector was now questioning if the reviews had been launched simultaneously “to confuse the sector”.
Sen asked: “I think people will be feeling overwhelmed with no guidance over what should be their priority to respond to.”
Alongside the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care announced earlier this year, the sector is also awaiting the results of the government review into special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) which Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced would be delayed until “early 2021” due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, since the start of this year, the following reports, examinations and inquiries have been launched:
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The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) examination into children’s social care provision.
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An inquiry by the House of Commons education select committee into children in care homes.
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The Childhood Commission launched by the children’s commissioner for England ahead of a “Beveridge-style” report to help children recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Of the projects announced, so-far it has been confirmed that the APPG inquiry, facilitated by charity Become, and the CMA examination of children’s social care provision will share information with the Care Review.
Sam Turner, policy and participation manager for Become, said: “As part of the Inquiry, the APPG is coordinating a series of regional online evidence sessions, hosted by local MPs, as well as reaching out to groups of care-experienced young people where they are most comfortable to share their views, and running an accessible ‘call for evidence’ where individuals and organisations can share their views however they’d like to.
“At the end, we'll understand more about how care-experienced young people can be supported to have stronger relationships with their communities, and how wider communities can be supported to understand and respect their care-experienced members.”
When asked if the newly announced Children’s Commission would feed into the long-awaited project, children’s commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza said she was “in discussions” with Care Review chair Josh MacAlister on the subject.
Jonathan Stanley added: “With no coordination and no consistency across the reviews, we will likely be confronted with contradictory conclusions; confusion and contention likely rather than consensus.
"Even at this stage we can see there will be the need for a linking and co-ordinating mechanism. It is already clear that this would be a major task.
“As each, seemingly uncoordinated and unchoreographed review moves toward potentially disparate conclusions should we, must we expect and demand a Review of Reviews.”
Carolyne Willow, director of children’s rights charity Article 39, said: “There is the risk that at least some of the inquiries working on the periphery legitimise the government’s review working in haste and without a coherent programme.
“We can see a parachute approach emerging, whereby the chair attends hearings and makes visits organised by others, but there is no central body of evidence recorded or published.
"Care-experienced people and their families were promised a once-in-a-generation, independent review. Broken promises, feeling disrespected and being let down continue to be part of too many people’s experiences of children’s social care. Against this backdrop, it’s even more imperative that the Care Review shows itself to be honest, capable and fair.”
The Department for Education has been contacted for comment.
