The UK Department for Education has published a report that provides an overview of the evaluation of the children’s social care innovation program in England 2014 to 2016. Findings from 45 project evaluations include 24 of the 45 project evaluations reporting reductions in children in care, children identified as children in need, children in residential care, and increased reunification with birth families. Recommendations for practice include using a systemic, family-focused, strengths-based approach that supports families and young people to take more responsibility for their own lives; multi-professional teams including specialist workers in substance abuse, domestic abuse, mental health, child sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation and offending; and providing consistent support to parents, young people and foster carers through one consistent ‘key worker’. Read the report.
