Mapping user experiences of the EHC process

A recent report, commissioned by the DfE, examines the experiences of children, young people and families involved in the EHC process and their satisfaction with the Education, Health and Care (EHC) process for children and young people with SEND. 

It also explores the extent to which the approaches employed to capture user feedback in the course of the study, could help others gather user satisfaction and make improvements to their service. 

Locked Out 2015

Thousands of children are being stopped from seeing their fathers, making it extremely difficult for them to spend quality time together. These findings have been published in the Barnardo's report, Locked Out 2015. The report is based on conversations, interviews and focus groups with children who visit their father in prison.

Report: State of the Nation and Impact

The National Literacy Trust (NLT) have published their 'State of the Nation and Impact' 2014/15 report, which provides a snapshot of literacy in the UK and showcases the impact that their work has had on children and families in the UK at key moments of literacy development; details are also provided of the various campaigns and reading initiatives that have been launched, to encourage reading in schools and across communities.

CareKnowledge

CareKnowledge has recently been added to our collection of online resources. It is an extensive source of both up-to-date and archived material in health and social care including topics such as adult and child protection, serious case reviews and mental health. Updated daily, the service supports practitioners and managers in these areas to help inform on key developments. The site also offers opinion, analysis and research via blogs, briefings and special reports that help to put complex issues into context. Access CareKnowledge via the E-Resources link in the Library portal. 

CareKnowledge includes the following journals and magazines:

Housing Care and Support

International Journal of Leadership in Public Services

Journal of Adult Protection

Journal of Childrens Services

Journal of Family Health

Journal of Integrated Care

Learning Disability Today

Mental Health Review Journal

Mental Health Today

Mental Health Training Education and Practice

Quality in Ageing and Older Adults

Tizard Learning Disability Review

Working with Older People

While you were away....

Over the summer, there have been a number of changes in the early years and childcare arena - here goes!

Back in June, The government introduced the Childcare Bill to bring in 30 hours of free childcare for employed families of 3 and 4 year olds. Plans are being drawn up to introduce the changes for some families a year earlier than planned, with pilots in some areas offering 30 hours worth of free places from September 2016. The DfE has announced a call for early implementers to pilot the scheme; organisations who would like to register their interest can do so by emailing the DfE here by Monday 28th September.

The new Common Inspection Framework came into effect on the 1st of September. Ofsted has published the first edition of the Early Years Inspection Update newsletter which provides key messages, relevant publications and updates to inspection documentation.

A new report from the Study of Early Education and Development (SEED) study has been published which highlights the key factors distinguishing the quality of care provided by childminders.

Ofsted has published its annual report for the early years. Accompanying the report is a detailed survey exploring teaching and play in the early years which includes links to videos of good practice and detailed exemplification. Also by Ofsted are published statistics on childcare inspections and outcomes covering childcare in England. 

Roundup: Social Work

The Prime Minister announced yesterday that it would be rolling out the Troubled Families programme across the country, to help more vulnerable families. The government have also committed themselves to long term funding for a proposed centre of expertise, which will aim to address and tackle child sexual abuse. The benefits of delivering action services early on have also been discussed in a new report by Action for Children.

These developments come as The College of Social Work (TCSW) closes its doors due to lack of funding from the Government. The membership charity was established following the 'Baby P' case, to become a beacon of best practice for social workers. Useful resources and advice can still be found on the TCSW website, particularly for those wanting to become a social worker and there are a number of best practice case studies also available.

Meanwhile, a number of charities have criticised the government for continuing to outsource children’s social care as Ofsted this week ceased regulation of third-party providers. In March, The Deregulation Act 2015, became law, stating that providers no longer have to register with Ofsted before taking on local authority contracts. Previously, these providers would have had to meet a number of requirements set out by Ofsted including vetting checks, interviews and a visit to the proposed premises. At the moment, there are five independent providers commissioned to provide social care services, but numbers are expected to grow.

Party Policy Guide

Election Day is tomorrow and if you have been left feeling a little 'pledged-out' and perhaps none the wiser, then this might help - CYPNow have published a concise policy guide, which clearly sets out the proposals made by the Conservatives, Labour and the Liberal Democrats on key issues for children, young people and families.

The guide covers 14 key areas: careers advice, child health, child poverty, children’s rights, crime and youth justice, early years and childcare, families and parenting, joint working, post-16 learning, public spending, safeguarding and care, schools, welfare, and youth services. 

Outdoor Play

Over the past decade, a growing movement has been steadily campaigning for children's outdoor play. The 2006 report, 'Tackling Child Obesity – First Steps' highlighted the health benefits of free play and the NCB set out the need for safe play environments in the New Charter for Children's Play. The national charity, Play England, explored the possibilities for joint working between the health and play sectors in their policy briefing.

These key documents acted as a springboard for schemes that have appeared around the UK over the last few years such as the Street Play project and the annual Outdoor Play Week in the South East.

Following the success of the London-based Hackney Play Streets project, councils across the UK are being urged to invest in street play initiatives. The recently published project evaluation report discusses the reach of the programme, its potential impact on children, families and communities, its impact on traffic and its sustainability and prospects for growth. 

Project Wild Thing grew out of David Bond's concern for his children's lack of outdoor activity.

The Self-appointed 'Marketing Director for Nature' began his own campaign, in a bid to reconnect children with the outdoors

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