Sector airs concerns over Care Review

In a letter to the Education Secretary, the group has also questioned the independence of the man chosen by government to lead the long-awaited enquiry.

• Analysis: Care Review - sector leaders set out their priorities for change

• Blog: Examining how the Care Review should work

The review, which is due to formally commence its work next month, is being chaired by Josh MacAlister, founder and chief executive of Frontline, a fast-track training scheme for social workers set up in 2013.

The letter, signed by 27 organisations and more than 100 people with substantial experience of children and families social work, points to the fact that Frontline has been “wholly or mainly reliant” on substantial funding from the Department for Education since its inception.

“This may affect [MacAlister’s] capacity to critique government policy (should the evidence lead this way) and to make recommendations potentially unpopular with ministers, including around financial support to local authorities and others,” the letter states.

It adds that the chair of Frontline, Baroness Cavendish of Little Venice, led the Number 10 policy unit under Prime Minister David Cameron, and is currently undertaking the government’s review of adult social care.

“This may further compromise his independence from government,” the letter states.

The letter also calls into question MacAlister’s experience in children’s social care, pointing to the fact that prior to founding Frontline, he was a schoolteacher.

“Leading a once-in-a-generation, wholesale review of children’s social care would be a challenge for any one person,” the letter states.

“Even with a very talented individual, this is probably an impossible task for someone with no prior direct knowledge of the children’s social care system.

“We ask that you establish a collegiate approach, and appoint a panel of experts which can bring to the review wide-ranging knowledge, skills and experience, including direct, personal experience of the care system – following an open recruitment process.”

MacAlister has previously said that the team conducting the review will be largely made up of civil servants.

The letter also warns that the scope of the review is “unrealistically wide for a relatively short time period, especially within the context of a global pandemic”.

MacAlister has previously indicated via social media that he expects to complete this major task in 12 to 15 months, but sector figures fear this will not be long enough in light of the fact that other recent reviews of specific aspects of children’s social care such as fostering and children’s residential care, for example each took several months.

“Please do not rush this vital review. Hastily produced plans would inevitably risk making the lives of children, care leavers and families much worse,” the letter states.

MacAlister has previously defended claims he is not an “independent” chair due to Frontline’s funding links.

He said: “A few suggest that because I've secured government funding for charitable programmes I won’t be independent. By this logic, those in [local authorities], academia or elsewhere who secure public funding for projects would fail the independence test.

“If that's the logic then fair enough but I ask that those who are sceptical to judge me by my actions. Helping to get children a decent and fair start in life has been the focus of my career and that’s what will drive this review.”

He has also played down claims the outcome of the review would be similar to a blueprint for children’s social care he co-authored in 2019.

DfE has been contacted for further comment.