June Thoburn

We are delighted by today's decision from the High Court that school exclusion hearings are covered by the European Convention of Human Rights, opening the possibility of legal aid being granted in appeals against exclusion.

More info: www.coram.org.uk/news/high-co... @gardencourtlaw.bsky.social

The Guardian view on the care experience: looked-after children and care leavers must be heard | Editorial Editorial: The increased visibility of people whose lives have been shaped by social services is a change for the better

Care experienced children and adults have been championing change through self-led groups and organisations since the 1970s. Shouldn’t it now be the norm for care experienced people to be in the majority at policy-making tables.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

R v Hopley Revisited Government rejects amendment to ban 'reasonable punishment' for parents in England, awaiting evidence from Wales. A recent High Court case highlights the ongoing debate on corporal punishment.

On very same day government minister sought to assure MPs that children have sufficient protection from violence, High Court delivered judgment on a doctor’s appeal not to be struck off from medical register for the “lawful chastisement” of his children.
thebarristergroup.co.uk/blog/r-v-hop...

Heading to Birmingham to join this important conference ⬇️

The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: Transforming England’s Children’s Care System The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, a landmark development proposed in 2022, completed its first passage through the House of Commons last month. It now includes a set of corporate parenting re...

Will new corporate parenting responsibilities transform England’s children’s care system. My latest blog on Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill: thebarristergroup.co.uk/blog/the-chi...

Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament Information from UK Parliament on written questions & answers, written statements and daily reports.

Government has authorised use of PAVA spray on children in three prisons. Latest data on children in prison:
❗️63% were formerly in care
❗️53% are from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities
❗️44% have health problems
❗️35% are disabled
questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-stat...

Seminar poster in Japanese

We are delighted to announce that Prof. Marit Skivenes (@mskivenes.bsky.social), Tarja Pösö, and June Thoburn (@jthobu.bsky.social) are invited to present on "Adoption from Care" book by Research Institute for Children’s Social Care, Waseda University, on 12 May 2025 (Online).

The first session of 2025 in our Expert Insights Series will focus on understanding hoarding behaviour with our expert trainer, Lisa Barrett.

🗓️ Thursday, 6 March
⏰ 09.30-12.30 (3 hrs CPD)
💻 Delivered via Zoom

Book your place 🔗 basw.co.uk/training-cpd...

I didn’t think it was possible, but this week has been a new low for the Tories | Polly Toynbee The language and style of British Conservatism is now taken directly from the fact-free world of online conspiracy, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee

Most eyes understandably on HM Government but the descent of HM Opposition into Musk-style conspiracists bears more scrutiny. Good piece here by Polly Toynbee. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

“We can disagree and still love each other unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist”

James Baldwin

Thatcher’s political crimes are still playing out 40 years later.

A star cluster is shown inside a large nebula of many-colored gas and dust. The material forms dark ridges and peaks of gas and dust surrounding the cluster, lit on the inner side, while layers of diffuse, translucent clouds blanket over them. (ESA / Webb, NASA & CSA, P. Zeidler, E. Sabbi, A. Nota, M. Zamani)

Day 24 of the 2024 Space Telescope Advent Calendar: An Energetic Stellar Nursery. This new image from the James Webb Space Telescope features the young star cluster NGC 602, near the outskirts of the Small Magellanic Cloud, about 200,000 light-years away. www.theatlantic.com/photo/2024/1...

Nigel Farage is watching hungrily as the far right sweeps to power across Europe In 2025, European liberal democracy will be in a fight for its survival

The far-right is rising across Europe, but we're seeing early tentative signs that they can be frozen out of power. What's required is an absolute refusal from decent people on the centre-right to work with them inews.co.uk/opinion/nige...

Recently took a peek at Twitter and the disinformation is getting substantially more dangerous. Someone could get killed.

The tactics of constantly repeating outright lies, targeting specific people, repurposing years-old footage and presenting them as new is getting to another level. It’s scary.

Encouraged a family to appeal a CHC decision, it went all the way to the Independent Review Panel but they have found the person had a primary health need and should have been eligible for CHC. I nearly cried reading the email, the family have been fantastic advocates #socialwork

“What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future.”
Agnes M. Pharo

#christmas #quotes #christmasquotes

❗As we warned: 2021 changes to care planning secondary legislation have radically restructured children's care system, giving veneer of legitimacy to what was once shameful.

⬇️ This kind of accommodation is meant to be restricted to children able to manage without any care or consistent supervision.

As adults in children’s social care,we must all be the guardians of their memories, ethically,holding life stories with care, respect & responsibility, ensuring their past is honored as they move forward 🌻

@sarahatfosterwiki.bsky.social @alcoates.bsky.social #adoption #children #fostercare

I used to avoid the 20th December. It marked a painful ending as a child in care whose placement broke down at Christmas.

Now it marks a new beginning in a book where 100 care experienced people reclaim our past.

Find your Christmas copy of Free Loaves on Fridays here: unbound.com/books/free-l...

“A better-funded version of the current system won’t suffice to address the profound demographic, societal and technological shifts shaping the future.” Spot on.

Not massively chuffed about being quoted in this publication but if it brings the issue of children’s home ownership and funding to the fore for people who might not otherwise think about then that’s a good thing.

As of right now, Bluesky is only a little more than 100K users away from 25 MILLION!! The growth of this platform since Election Day has been absolutely INCREDIBLE!! 💙
bsky-users.theo.io

Interesting and welcome change of mind by the Children’s Commissioner on Corporal Punishment. At her PreAppointment hearing in 2020 she wasn’t sure she wanted to ban it. Now she does. committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence...

Against all the evidence on how to provide effective child and family social work services that combine support alongside compulsory protection in the minority of cases when needed. And not a good use of time and funding

🚨 A recent survey by @swu-uk.bsky.social & @itvnews.bsky.social has revealed 90% of social workers reporting an increase in the number of families they support experiencing poverty.

Social workers are raising the alarm, and we need policy-makers to start listening.

www.itv.com/news/2024-12...

Scotland is right to scrap the two-child benefit cap. Now it's Labour's turn Ruth Patrick writes about why Keir Starmer's government must follow Scotland in removing the two-child benefit cap.

Scotland is right to scrap the cruel two-child benefit cap. It's now time for Labour to act
www.bigissue.com/opinion/scot...

Millions to spend a fourth winter in Dickensian conditions 16% of UK adults (8.8m people) live in cold damp homes, exposed to the health complications that come from living in fuel poverty.

The Government must take action on the cold damp homes crisis.

We must see the Warm Homes Plan fully funded in the Comprehensive Spending Review.

And we must have a social tariff in place to protect people from high energy prices before next winter.
www.endfuelpoverty.org.uk/millions-to-...

We spent three days on the frontline of children’s social services in Lewisham, witnessing firsthand the impact rising poverty and chronic underfunding is having.
Watch here: www.itv.com/watch/news/a...

Shout out today to all the social workers out there who did the right thing this week, who upheld rights and stayed true to the values, and who in doing so made themselves unpopular with a whole host of people but did it anyway. We see you.