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Articles by Des Mannion
In the September edition of CYP Now: Early Help special, training guide and two-year-olds' funded childcare
By CYP Now | 28 August 2019 In the latest edition of CYP Now, how local authorities are facing the challenge to invest in prevention services in the face of rising demand. A 12-page special report examines at the latest policy, practice and research on early help.
Children & Young People Now Awards 2019: shortlist revealed
By CYP Now | 28 August 2019 The CYP Now Awards highlight the very best practice in work with children, young people and families. The Children & Young People Now Awards ceremony takes place on 28 November at the Hurlingham Club in London. Picture: Julian Dodd In these uncertain times, these Awards celebrate innovation and impact across the sector. Entries this year were as strong as ever. The judges have examined each and every one, and we can unveil the 2019 shortlist.
Dentists call for all schools to ban sugary foods
By Neil Puffett | 16 August 2019 All schools in England should be encouraged to become sugar free to tackle worrying levels of child tooth decay, leading dentists have said. There have been more than 100,000 hospital admissions for children aged under 10 due to tooth decay since 2015.
Government announces money for new youth zone
By Neil Puffett | 16 August 2019 A new youth zone will be constructed in Grimsby as part of government efforts to regenerate the town, it has been announced. OnSide has already established 12 youth zones across England with more in the pipeline. Picture: OnSide The government has said a further £4m will be provided as part of its "Town Deal", taking the total investment in the town to £88m.
Poorer young people increasingly shun university
By Joe Lepper | 15 August 2019 The proportion of young people, particularly those from poor backgrounds, who believe going to university is not important has increased since 2013, according to new research.
Anti-knife crime campaign targets young people through takeaway chicken
By Joe Lepper | 15 August 2019 The government is using takeaway chicken boxes to communicate an anti-knife crime message to young people. Chicken shops around the country are supporting the government's #knifefree campaign. Image: Home Office The Home Office's #knifefree branding will appear on more than 300,000 boxes used by fast-food chains. The packaging will also display real-life stories of those who have been successfully diverted from knife crime through activities such as boxing.
Council turns around children's services to get 'good' rating
By Joanne Parkes | 14 August 2019 Swindon's children's services leaders have been praised for their "swift and decisive action" which has turned around a decline in child protection work - just over a year after inspectors flagged concerns. Swindon Council has created a "strong learning culture and conditions that help social workers do a good job", according to its DCS David Haley.
Summer initiative targets youth violence
By Dan Parton | 14 August 2019 Young people at risk of violence are the focus of a new charity initiative that is offering more than 200 free courses this summer. Amplified campaigner Omar Sharif hopes to inspire other young people away from violence. Image: The Prince's Trust Amplified, a joint scheme formed by organisations including The Prince's Trust, Scouts, UK Youth, Redthread and StreetDoctors, is offering activities from kayaking to dance.
National Citizen Service provider vows to continue work following split
By Dan Parton | 14 August 2019 The charity which was dropped by the National Citizen Service (NCS) Trust earlier this month has said it will continue to operate. The Challenge has been dropped from the NCS over IT issues. Image: The Challenge Network The Challenge had been helping to deliver the government-backed programme for 16- and 17-year-olds in London, the South East and the West Midlands.
Youth work training figures reveal record lows
By Dan Parton | 14 August 2019 The number of youth work training programmes has fallen in an ongoing annual trend, according to new figures. In one region there are no youth worker training courses on offer. Image: Auremar/Adobe Stock The proportion of higher educational institutions offering training programmes in the sector nationally declined in 2017/18 and there were just 41 programmes on offer in England, the National Youth Agency reports.
Social workers most stressed after first year in job, research finds
By Dan Parton | 13 August 2019 Children's social workers in their second and third years in the role are the most stressed, with more than two thirds reporting concerns over stress levels, new research has revealed. Social workers cited excessive paperwork as the most common cause of stress at work.
Unqualified council staff 'given child protection responsibility'
By Dan Parton | 12 August 2019 Ofsted has warned York's children's services over the "unacceptable" use of unqualified staff who have been left handling "inappropriate levels of risk". High staff turnover and poor management oversight have led to poor practice at York City Council, according to inspectors.
How technology can help local authorities embed a contextual safeguarding approach safely and seamlessly
By Nikki Redmond, Servelec and Katie Latimer, University of Bedfordshire | 12 August 2019 Pioneered by Dr Carlene Firmin at the University of Bedfordshire, Contextual Safeguarding as an approach is gathering pace - broadly welcomed by local authorities and the children's social work professionals within them.
Apprenticeship providers call on government to deliver on funding promise
By Neil Puffett | 09 August 2019 Businesses are calling on the government to deliver quickly on its apprenticeship spending promise afer a survey revealed young people are missing out. The number of 16- to 18-year-olds starting apprenticeships has fallen since the introduction of the apprenticeship levy in 2017.
Chancellor announces one-year budget round as Spending Review shelved due to Brexit
By Derren Hayes | 09 August 2019 The government is to undertake a one-year spending round for public services in 2020-21, Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid has announced.
As the calendar turns to August, it will seem to many children and young people that the summer holidays have only just begun. With the days and weeks ticking by, September will be just around the corner which means a return to school. Some older children will be heading to colleges, sixth forms and universities.
Opportunity Areas inquiry chair flags concerns in letter to Hinds
By Joanne Parkes | 19 July 2019 The chair of the parliamentary Opportunity Areas inquiry remains "unconvinced" about the effectiveness of the £72m programme, he states in a letter to Education Secretary Damian Hinds. Robert Halfon MP is not convinced that the programme is the most effective way to support disadvantaged communities.
Future early years minimum wage rise 'unsustainable'
By Nina Jacobs | 18 July 2019 The early years sector has warned it cannot afford another minimum wage increase - unless the government plugs a claimed £662m funding shortfall.
DCSs are failing to scrutinise care placements, claims minister
By Nina Jacobs | 18 July 2019 Children's minister Nadhim Zahawi has blamed directors of children's services for the rise in unsuitable care placements - claiming they are not following the rules. Children's minister Nadhim Zahawi said he has written to directors of children's services to remind them of their obligations.
Children's social care workforce inquiry launches
By Joanne Parkes | 17 July 2019 An inquiry into children's social work will examine what the workforce needs in order to provide the best help and protection for families, the parliamentary education committee has announced. Committee chair Robert Halfon said social workers are "vital" for ensuring all children have the best start in life.
Boost legal protection and funding for child victims of domestic abuse, campaigners urge
By Nina Jacobs | 17 July 2019 Campaigners have cautiously welcomed the new Domestic Abuse Bill, but claim that "fundamental changes" are still needed to give children the protection they need. charity Action for Children said that the "devil will be in the detail" of the final Domestic Abuse Bill.
Councils call for more powers to monitor home-education arrangements
By Dan Parton | 17 July 2019 Government plans to increase scrutiny of home education, including the creation of local registers of home-schooled children, do not go far enough, council chiefs have warned.
New joint inspections to target children's mental health
By Joanne Parkes | 17 July 2019 Local services will be judged on how they respond jointly to children's mental ill health in new themed area inspections, Ofsted has announced. Meeting children’s mental health needs should be prioritised, says Ofsted’s national director for social care Yvette Stanley Councils, schools, the police, youth offending teams, and health professionals will be subject to the new regime from September 2019.
Shortage of holiday childcare in two out of three councils
By Dan Parton | 16 July 2019 Only a third of English councils have sufficient childcare provision for all working parents in their area during the school summer holidays, latest research shows. The average weekly cost of holiday childcare has risen to £138 according to the Coram Family and Childcare survey.
Lincolnshire health visitors begin strike
By Dan Parton | 15 July 2019 Fifty-eight health visitors employed by Lincolnshire County Council have begun a two-day strike over 'no pay rises' and erosion of professional standards. Some 58 health visitors are striking in Lincolnshire Trade union Unite confirmed that the strike would go ahead today (15 July) - in what is believed to be the first time health visitors in the county have taken such action.
Prison leadership scheme ready for rollout
By Joanne Parkes | 15 July 2019 Dozens of newly qualified prison officers have completed a leadership scheme developed to attract graduate talent and spread best practice within the secure estate. The first ever cohort of Unlocked graduate prison officers celebrated the success of the scheme The postgraduate programme, which began in London and the southeast, and was extended to the youth secure estate, will now be rolled out across the north of England from September 2019.
Court rejects legal bid to stop closure of children's centres
By Dan Parton | 15 July 2019 Campaigners have vowed to fight on for children's centres nationally despite losing a High Court challenge over local closures.
Call to extend Adoption Support Fund until 2030
By Nina Jacobs | 15 July 2019 The government should extend funding for vital therapeutic services for adoptive and special guardianship families for another decade, a cross-party group of MPs and peers has said. The Adoption Support Fund can pay for support like family therapy Nearly £150m has been invested in the ASF which has supported around 38,000 families since it was launched in 2015.
With the school term finishing, the summer holidays are once again upon us. Children and young people will have a much-earned rest after the academic year, as will their teachers. Parents and carers, especially those unable to find childcare arrangements, will be faced with a tough choice about when is the appropriate age to leave a child home alone. This is made harder as there is no legal minimum age that a child can be left unsupervised.
May announces creation of new inequalities body
By Nina Jacobs | 12 July 2019 The government is to gather evidence on inequalities affecting vulnerable children and families through a new independent body set up to tackle social injustice and create a fairer society.
Children's services consultancy Morning Lane closes
By Joanne Parkes | 06 June 2019 A company that received millions of pounds in Department for Education funding and was at the centre of a controversy over links with the chief children's social worker has been wound up. Steve Goodman's company Morning Lane Associates secured lucrative DfE contracts Morning Lane Associates, which banked at least £2.9m through contracts to deliver children's social care reforms, was dissolved today (6 June), after going into voluntary liquidation last year.
Lords raise concerns over adoption register suspension
By Joanne Parkes | 23 May 2019 Concerns over the suspension of the Adoption Register for England have been raised by a cross-party committee of Lords, after they were left in doubt over provision for hard-to-place children.
Ombudsman slams council over excessive EHC plan waiting times
By Nina Jacobs | 23 May 2019 Hackney Council could face further complaints from families waiting for special educational provision after it was slammed for taking nearly 18 months to complete an education, health and care (EHC) plan for an autistic child.
'Nearly half' of children in poverty by 2021, UN poverty expert warns
By Joanne Parkes | 22 May 2019 Nearly one in two of the UK's children will be living in poverty by 2021 if the government remains in denial about the impact of cuts, predicts a United Nations report published today. Child poverty is predicted to rise 7 per cent over six years. Image: Jim Varney In his damning report on extreme poverty and human rights, leading UN poverty expert Philip Alston, describes the already bleak life prospects of millions of children and families as a "social calamity".
Union seeks assurances over staff terms at children's services trust
By Dan Parton | 22 May 2019 A union branch is asking for assurances that staff will be returned to national pay and conditions when a children's trust takes over the running of children's social services in Northamptonshire. Malcolm Newsam was appointed by the DfE to oversee improvements at Northamptonshire children's services Last week, the Department for Education announced that children's services in Northamptonshire would be turned over to an independent not-for-profit children's trust.
Labour pledges new protections for youth work to counter decade of cuts
By Nina Jacobs | 22 May 2019 Many parts of the UK no longer have a "recognisable" youth service thanks to nearly a decade of cuts to local authority funding, the Labour Party has said. Cat Smith MP has set out Labour's youth work vision. Image: Parliament UK Shadow minister for voter engagement and youth affairs Cat Smith said the loss of youth work in communities has had a "devastating impact on young lives" resulting in chronic levels of loneliness, mental health issues and rising knife crime.
Scheme tackles families at risk of children being into care
By Nina Jacobs | 22 May 2019 Vulnerable families will be offered extra support from social workers and mental health specialists as part of a £15m government programme to prevent children being taken into care. The chief social worker, Isabelle Trowler, said the funding was an "important milestone" in work for vulnerable families.
Prevent exclusions with better emotional health tools, urges charity
By Nina Jacobs | 22 May 2019 A charity is calling for teachers to be equipped with better tools to boost pupil wellbeing after a study found one in three pupils suffering with a moderate or severe level of social, emotional and mental health need. One in three of the pupils in the study by Nurture UK, had a moderate or severe social, emotional or mental health need.
Bexley DCS appointed as Cafcass chief executive
By Joanne Parkes | 22 May 2019 Bexley Council's current director of children's services has been appointed by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), as its new chief executive. Bexley DCS Jacky Tiotto is joining Cafcass as its new chief executive Jacky Tiotto, who was previously the director of social care inspection development at Ofsted, will join Cafcass in Autumn this year.
Hull City Council hits back at union claims of bullying culture
By Dan Parton | 22 May 2019 Hull City Council has hit back at trade union claims that social workers have been bullied following a recent downgrade of its children's services rating to "inadequate".
Community integration fund benefits youth projects
By Nina Jacobs | 22 May 2019 Youth projects tackling the causes of poor community integration have been awarded a share of £2.7m in government funding. Communities minister Lord Nick Bourne aims to "tackle the root causes of poor integration" with the fund.
ADCS raises concerns over full regulation of post-16 care provision
By Nina Jacobs | 21 May 2019 Children's services leaders have warned that fully regulating post-16 care settings - as being called for by campaigners - would restrict councils' placement options.
Earlier this year, I was among the speakers at a conference in Cardiff which focused on approaches to the issue of child sexual abuse (CSA). Speakers at the event covered topics which included the development of the UK's first child house - London's Lighthouse project, based on the Icelandic ‘Barnahús' model - and the societal cost of child sexual abuse. But the overall theme was whether child sexual abuse should be considered as a public health issue.
Call for reform of system treating children with SEN as mental health inpatients
By Joanne Parkes | 20 May 2019 Too many children with learning disabilities and autism are unnecessarily being treated in mental health hospitals - according to a report published today by the Children's Commissioner for England. Concerns that SEN children's rights are being breached by mental health system, have been raised by children's commissioner Anne Longfield.
Two-thirds of young people worry about online appearance
By Dan Parton | 14 May 2019 Many young people feel pressure to look their best online and 67 per cent regularly worry about the way they look, according to new research. Some young people reported spending up to an hour editing photos of themselves to put online.
BYC backs measures to tackle intergenerational inequality
By Nina Jacobs | 26 April 2019 A youth charity is backing calls for the government to deliver a fairer society for younger people by providing them with better housing and employment opportunities.
Charity receives £4m gift for legal rights advice
By Nina Jacobs | 25 April 2019 Hundreds more families and young people are set to benefit from a £4m boost to a charity's rights advice service, after Coram received the largest single gift in its near 300-year history. Coram chief executive Carol Homden said the endowment would enable Coram to work with hundreds more young people.
Manifesto draws on views of 76,000 girls and young women
By Nina Jacobs | 25 April 2019 Girl-led change on issues ranging from the environment to emotional wellbeing, is at the heart of a new manifesto from Girlguiding UK. The new Girlguiding manifesto is set to empower girls, the minister for women Victoria Atkins has said. Image: Girlguiding Future Girl sets out key aims for the future across five topics, drawn from the consultation responses of 76,000 girls and young women aged four to 25.
Learning to drive initiative helps care leavers
By Joanne Parkes | 25 April 2019 Care leavers are learning to drive courtesy of a London charity after research showed the skill is of particular benefit to young people in the care system. Care leaver Emma Harris is one of the first three learner drivers to take part in the scheme Live Unlimited, a new charity set up last year to offer additional support to looked after children and care leavers in Barnet, launched its Driving Ahead programme in response to the findings of a pilot scheme.
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