Williamson promises 'broad and bold' care review amid sector pressure
Nina Jacobs
Friday, March 13, 2020
The Education Secretary has replied to a letter signed by hundreds of experts in children's social care reiterating promises to launch a “broad, bold and independently led” review of the system.
A letter sent to Williamson in January attracted 632 signatories from the sector including social workers, foster carers, care-experienced adults, directors of children’s services, academics and charity leaders.
The group urged the government to honour its pledge in the Conservative Party manifesto to carry out a review of the care system.
It urged the minister to be “ambitious” in the scope of the review addressing “significant concerns” highlighted in recent months regarding a raft of issues relating to the safety and wellbeing of looked-after children.
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These include unregulated care homes and children being moved “chaotically” to different foster and children’s homes multiple times.
In response to the letter, the minister said he was committed to delivering this “fundamental” part of his party’s manifesto.
In a reply, sent to John Radoux, a care-experienced adult who started the campaign, Williamson said the views of young people would be at the heart of the review.
“For me, this review presents a singular opportunity to start by looking at the whole system, and the children and young people it supports.
“To hear the voices of children, young people and adults that have received the help or support of a social worker or have been brought into care, is of utmost importance. This will be at the heart of the review,” he said.
Children’s social care experts would be given the opportunity to engage with the review once an independent reviewer had been appointed and the review was under way, the minister added.
Radoux said he was delighted the minister had confirmed the “voices of those with personal experience” of the care system would be central to the review and he hoped to meet with the lead reviewer once they were in post.
“Further, I am pleased he is taking personal responsibility for ensuring there is a genuine review of the care system.”
He also thanked the hundreds of sector representatives that had supported him by signing the campaign letter.
— John Radoux (@JohnRadoux) March 12, 2020