On average, children’s homes have four places. Picture: Geerte/Adobe Stock

Key Data: Sufficiency and cost of care places

Hertfordshire County Council invested £1.4mn to develop Cherry Tree Cottage. Picture: Hertfordshire County Council

Council and NHS trust create step-down care

Children's Services
The financial challenges are affecting all types of councils. Picture: Saklakova/Adobe Stock

Analysis of children’s needs delivers savings for councils

Children's Services
There is a debate around the need for a more interventionalist approach in the sector. Picture: Tierny/Adobe Stock

Advantages of collaboration in sector

Children's Services
In an unmanaged market there is little control over the type and location of new homes. Picture: Studio Romantic/Adobe Stock

Creating a therapeutic ecology in commissioning

Children's Services
Perry: 'Feel the fear and do it anyway'. Picture: Barnardo's

Leadership: Updating your strategy

Children's Services
The NSPCC regularly surveys the public about abuse. Picture: NSPCC

Identifying better responses to child abuse

Children's Services
Buttle UK’s Chances for Children grants support vulnerable children and young people who have experienced a recent crisis. Picture: Buttle UK

Funding Focus: Chances for Children, Buttle UK

Practitioners at Green Shoots Pre-School in Bath spend extra time playing the language-specific games with children. Picture: GREEN SHOOTS PRE-SCHOOL AND DERRYN VRANCH PHOTOGRAPHY

Charity helps boost speech and language skills

Early Years
Marshall met up with professionals from the Barnsbeste Team in Norway.

International Focus: Pre-bereavement support, Norway and Sweden

Children's Services
The June edition of CYP Now features sector news, analysis and best practice.

In June’s CYP Now: Secure school, leadership diversity, care commissioning

Children's Services
Future Foundations supports schoolchildren to organise and operate food schemes for local communities. Picture: Can Team

Young people step out of comfort zone by volunteering for sustainable food schemes