Care Review response: Key points and sector reaction

Backed by £200m in funding – less than 10 per cent of the £2.6bn called for by review chair Josh MacAlister – the government has put forward a package of measures to “fix” children’s social care as part of its 220-page Stable Homes, Built on Love strategy.

Measures include piloting a new early help model for families across 12 local authorities, increased support for foster and kinship carers, restrictions on the use of agency social workers, following an investigation by CYP Now last year, and a new national social care framework and data dashboard for the sector.

Sector leaders, including MacAlister, have questioned whether the response goes far enough to implement reforms needed to reduce numbers of children entering care and tackle issues around recruitment and retention of social workers and foster carers.

Meanwhile, others have called for a longer-term plan for the reforms, beyond the two years for which funding is earmarked.

DfE’s response and implementation strategy is published alongside three separate consultations on the strategy as a whole; restrictions on the use of agency social workers and the new national social care framework.

Consultations close in May with further government response expected in September. Ministers propose introducing the new measures from April 2024.  

CYP Now has collated content on the government’s response to the Care Review, including key points and sector reaction below:

Key points

• Government reveals £200m plan for children’s social care reforms

• Role of social worker agencies to be curtailed

• CMA call for 'oversight' of children's social care market included in reforms

• Sector ‘appalled’ at failure to implement protected characteristic recommendation

• Care Review response: New child protection role among measures planned for workforce reform

CYP Now interviews children's minister Claire Coutinho about the response

Sector reaction

• Funding fears over government’s £200m plan to overhaul children’s social care

• Josh MacAlister says government 'must go further and faster’ with reform

• Care Review response renews debate over use of supported accomodation for teenagers

• Labour slams 'piecemeal' measures for reform

Opinion

• Janet Kay: What the government needs to do now for kinship families

• Jo Casebourne: Progress, but still much to learn – a reflection on the children’s social care implementation plan

Care Review recommendations

• Care Review backs regional approach

• Review of children’s social care system prioritises family help

CYP Now investigation cited as evidence in agency social workers consultation document

• Recruitment agency practices compound workforce pressures