That there needs to be a care review in England is undeniable – outcomes for looked-after children and care leavers still lag well behind peers. The key question is how comprehensive should such a review be? This depends on the scale of the government’s ambitions. When deciding this, new children’s minister Vicky Ford should look to Scotland’s recently published Independent Care Review for pointers (See Analysis).
The independent chair of the Scottish review Fiona Duncan has deep knowledge of disadvantaged children and public services, but no strong affiliation to a particular sector or lobby. Ford and officials at the Department for Education would do well to consider these attributes a prerequisite when searching for an independent chair for the English review. Another key strength of the Scottish approach has been its collegiate nature. Experts from across the sector sat on the review’s advisory groups, ensuring no single world view could dominate.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
