The network, based at NCB, represents over 80 per cent of children's homes, special schools and other residential settings.
A feasibility study on a national centre, funded by the Social Education Trust and the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, was launched at the event. The report, Momentum: establishing a centre for residential childcare for England, by Sally Bamsey and Jonathan Stanley, found overwhelming support within the sector.
"Residential care has evolved dramatically over the last few years," said Sally Bamsey, manager of NCB's Children's Residential Care Unit. "The introduction of national minimum standards and the formation of the network have led to a surge of new ideas and best practice development. A national centre would provide a focus for all this activity and enable us to present a unified and authoritative voice for residential childcare to the Government."
The report proposes a mixture of a virtual and an actual centre: "We know that our members value being able to access information through the internet as and when they need it," explained Jonathan Stanley, who coordinates the Children's Residential Network. "Understanding their practical needs is key to making a centre a success."
- Email gdrew@ncb.org.uk for a free electronic version of the report.
