Daily roundup: Judge criticises social workers, female offenders, and home tuition

England’s most senior family judge has criticised social workers who failed to tell parents why their children were being adopted. The Daily Mail reports that social workers in Bristol ignored a court order requiring them to explain why the couple’s two children were being taken for adoption. Sir James Munby, President of the Family Division suggested that social workers could be jailed for contempt if they fail to comply with court orders – an offence that carries a sentence of up to two years.

Female offenders in custody will be kept closer to their families as part of efforts by the Ministry of Justice to improve family links. The Ministry of Justice said it wants female inmates to maintain family relationships and improve their job prospects before leaving jail.

Looked-after children in Swansea are to lose their home tuition for the rest of the year, because of funding cuts. The South Wales Evening Post reports that Swansea Council has informed home tutors that the service will no longer continue this financial year, due to budgetary constraints.

Almost a thousand potentially vulnerable Norfolk children were not assessed or only partially assessed because of a lack of social workers and poor management in the county’s children’s services department, the Norwich Evening News reports, The authority said it is currently recruiting 50 social workers, with a 17-strong team being put together to work to deal with the outstanding cases.

Meanwhile, a new interim assistant director of children’s services has been appointed at Norfolk County Council. The Eastern Daily Press reports that Michael Rosen has been appointed to lead the department’s early help and prevention agenda and joined the council this week. He reports to interim director of children’s services Sheila Lock.

And finally, families across Exeter are using foodbanks in increasing numbers because household finances have reached breaking point. The Exeter Express and Echo reports that Exeter Foodbank saw a 78 per cent rise in the amount of people using its services between April and this month compared to the same period last year.