NYAS has responded to UK Government plans on how they intend to reform children’s social care in England.
The long-awaited government ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’ implementation strategy was released in February 2023 after the children’s social care review for England published recommendations.
The care review took place over 14 months and was hailed as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to reform services and systems. The government implementation strategy is a response to the review’s findings.
NYAS’ response to the government’s implementation strategy included the views of Campaigns Advisory Group members, who emphasised the need for urgency in the reforms: “We desperately want to see these much-needed changes for young people now.”
Funding
The care review called for £2.6bn over four years to be invested in children’s social care and early help, but the government’s implementation strategy ‘Stable Homes, Built on Love’ has only committed to £200m.
The £200 million additional investment across this spending review period is a fraction of the amount needed to deliver the so-called ‘once-in-a-generation’ opportunity to transform the children’s social care system. It is less than 8% of the £2.6 billion called for in total by the care review.
NYAS’ Campaigns Advisory Group want to see a This cannot happen if too little money is being allocated towards the lives of children and young people in care.
If this does not happen soon, as one NYAS Campaigns Advisor says, “it will be too late for young people to see those changes in the care system”.
My little brother and sister are in care and obviously that’s going to impact, knowing that they’re going to be deprived more.
Young person
Advocacy
Advocacy allows young people’s views, wishes, and feelings to be heard when important decisions are being made that affect their lives.
The government has committed to work with the sector to implement an opt-out offer model of independent advocacy. An ‘active offer’ means that children in England would always be told about their right to access an advocate. An advocate would explain to children what an advocate is, and what they do when you begin your life in care.
In NYAS’ response, we called for the strengthening of advocacy duties to be supported by adequate funding for local authorities, so they can commission based on quality and not on price. It is also vital that an opt-out offer of advocacy is not seen as a one-off option for children entering care, but rather as an opportunity for an independent advocate to explain to children that advocacy support is ongoing.
Independent Visitors
An Independent Visitor is a volunteer who spends time with a child or young person in care. For many children and young people, an Independent Visitor is the only adult in their lives who is not paid to spend time with them.
The government committed to increasing the accessibility and take-up of the Independent Visitors offer by working with the sector to reinforce current good practice and developing standards for Independent Visitor services. NYAS believes an important opportunity was missed to offer young people up to age 25 the chance to build lasting friendships.
In NYAS’ response, we called for a statutory entitlement to Independent Visitor services up to the age of 25 to be committed to by the government, while national standards should be aimed at improving young people’s access to Independent Visitors.
NYAS’ full response to the UK Government implementation strategy can be found here:
