Kaylea Titford had no care plan in place when she died, review finds – The Guardian

‘A 16-year-old girl with “significant and chronic disabilities” who died in squalor at her family home in rural mid-Wales did not have a care plan in place, a child practice review into her death has found.’

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The Guardian, 14th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Warning over use in UK of unregulated AI chatbots to create social care plans – The Guardian

Posted March 11th, 2024 in artificial intelligence, care workers, news, social services by tracey

‘Britain’s hard-pressed carers need all the help they can get. But that should not include using unregulated AI bots, according to researchers who say the AI revolution in social care needs a hard ethical edge.’

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The Guardian, 10th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

High Court judge provides guidance on applications for psychological assessments in care proceedings – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 27th, 2024 in care orders, family courts, news, psychiatrists, social services by tracey

‘A High Court judge has given guidance on when applications for a psychologist to undertake a cognitive assessment in care proceedings should be made and the approach that the Family Court should take, warning that “misconceived applications are exceedingly common”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 27th February 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Bronson Battersby: Independent review confirmed – BBC News

Posted February 21st, 2024 in children, families, inquests, negligence, news, social services by sally

‘An in-depth, independent review into the death of a two-year-old boy and his dad will be held by the Lincolnshire Safeguarding Children Partnership.’

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BBC News, 20th February 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Austerity contributing to rise in children in care – head of Family Court – BBC News

‘Austerity has contributed to a rise in the number of children in care, the most senior judge in the family courts has told the BBC.’

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BBC News, 29th January 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Two-year-old boy died of starvation curled up next to dead father – The Guardian

Posted January 18th, 2024 in children, local government, news, social services by sally

‘A two-year-old boy was left alone to die of starvation curled up next to the body of his father, who had suffered a fatal heart attack, his family has revealed.’

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The Guardian, 17th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Social worker wins discrimination case over gender critical beliefs – The Guardian

‘A social worker who was suspended after sharing gender critical beliefs online has won her claim against her employer for discrimination.’

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The Guardian, 9th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Review into 50-year-old laws on social care for disabled children – Law Commission

‘Law Commission aims to simplify and strengthen the law, allowing children with disabilities to access the support they need. The review will ensure the law is fair, modern and accessible, works for parents, care givers and local authorities.’

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Law Commission, 17th October 2023

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk

Review finds safeguarding failures over Sussex killing of man by girl, 14 – The Guardian

Posted October 11th, 2023 in children, families, homicide, inquests, mental health, news, social services, young offenders by tracey

‘An inquiry into the circumstances leading to the manslaughter of a 24-year-old man by a 14-year-old girl has found “a failure of the system as a whole” to protect her and her victim.’

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The Guardian, 10th October 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Woman alleging menopause discrimination to be heard by employment tribunal in legal first – The Independent

‘The case of a woman who was allegedly discriminated against due to suffering menopause symptoms will be heard by an employment tribunal this week in a legal first.’

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The Independent, 2nd October 2023

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards applications up by 11% since last year – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 29th, 2023 in deprivation of liberty safeguards, news, social services, statistics by sally

‘New data published by the NHS has revealed there were an estimated 300,765 applications for Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) received between 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th August 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Assessing someone as being clearly an adult – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal recently considered the approach to be taken to a claim for judicial review of a decision that SB was clearly and obviously an adult. Catherine Rowlands examines the judgment.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th August 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Appeal rules on “hot potato” issue of decision between care order, supervision order or no order when child placed at home – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal by a mother and made supervision orders in place of care orders for all three of her children, who are placed at home.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 8th August 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Alfie Steele: mother and partner guilty over death of boy, nine, found in bath – The Guardian

‘A mother has been found guilty of the manslaughter of her nine-year-old son, who was found unresponsive in a cold bath with 50 injuries over his body, while her partner has been found guilty of his murder.’

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The Guardian, 13th June 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Children public law case update: May 2023 – Local Government Lawyer

‘Jennifer Frost rounds up the latest public law children cases of interest to practitioners.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 26th May 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Squaring the circle – Local Government Lawyer

Posted May 19th, 2023 in care homes, children, detention, local government, news, social services by tracey

‘What steps can a local authority take to ensure a lawful deprivation of liberty in an unregistered children’s home in England for children under 16? Hannah Taylor and Ruth Atkinson-Wilks explain.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 19th May 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

High Court dismisses legal challenge over government failure to implement Care Act system for appeals against care and support decisions – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 28th, 2023 in appeals, duty of care, judicial review, local government, news, social services by tracey

‘A High Court judge has rejected a judicial review challenge to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care’s decision not to make regulations for appeals against local authority decisions under Part 1 of the Care Act 2014.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 27th April 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Lola James: NSPCC demands systemic change after girl’s murder – BBC News

‘The murder of a two-year-old who was killed by her mum’s boyfriend shows child protection must be a national priority, NSPCC Cymru has said.’

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BBC News, 26th April 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hundreds of UK asylum seeker children wrongly treated as adults, report shows – The Guardian

Posted April 25th, 2023 in asylum, children, local government, news, reports, social services by sally

‘Hundreds of asylum seeker children are wrongly being treated as adults by the Home Office, according to data from dozens of local authorities.’

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The Guardian, 24th April 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Law Commission invited to review legislation on social care for disabled children – Law Commission

‘The Law Commission of England and Wales has been asked by the Department for Education to review the legal framework governing the social care of disabled children to ensure that the law is fair, modern and accessible, allowing children with disabilities to access the support they need.’

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Law Commission, 20th April 2023

Source: www.lawcom.gov.uk