Care Review to publish Case for Change in early summer, Josh MacAlister reveals

In a new blog, posted on the website for the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, Josh MacAlister vows to deliver on his commitment to set out the project’s Case for Change in the summer.

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“A review like this would normally take a lot longer before publishing a report. But I wanted this review to set out the problems early – giving everyone the opportunity to understand our thinking and tell us whether we have missed or misunderstood anything,” he says.

“So it’s been three months of intense reading, endless Zoom meetings and a lot of drafting and redrafting. We’re making real progress and I’m looking forward to sharing the results early in the summer,” MacAlister adds.

Hopeful conversations with children at Bower Grove special school today. Hearing about their experiences in care, family life and social work. Thank you to the head teacher and team for having me pic.twitter.com/wrQFDBQzJm

— Josh MacAlister (@JoshMacAlister) May 27, 2021

The chair has also revealed details of the first face-to-face meetings carried out by the review team following the lifting of some Covid-19 restrictions.

In the blog, MacAlister says he has visited Aycliffe Secure Children’s Home and Bower Grove school in Kent to speak to children with care experience.

He has also met with families in Camden, north London, who are being supported through local authority schemes including Changing Futures and Supporting Families.

Ending the week with really good conversations in Camden. Thank you to the parents, young people and staff for sharing advice with me and the @reviewCSC team. pic.twitter.com/GVCwaLBFZ0

— Josh MacAlister (@JoshMacAlister) May 28, 2021

Meanwhile, the review team, which was announced earlier in the spring, has held meetings with organisations including the Drive Forward Foundation, Adoption UK and the National Network for Parent Carer Forums.

Members have also been sitting in on meetings of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Looked After Children and Care Leavers as part of Become’s spotlight inquiry which will feed into the review, MacAlister says.

He adds: “I know many may question the pace and ask if we are consulting widely enough. I hear this concern and I want to reassure you that we have already had powerful and often emotional conversations with hundreds of people who have lived experience of children’s social care.”