@martinbarrow.bsky.social
Local authority foster carer, journalist. Sharing news and views about the care system, children and young people. Subscribe to my weekly bulletin via [email protected]
Pinned
The latest Week in Care is out, rounding up news and analysis about children’s services and the care of young people from the past seven days. Sign up for your weekly email via [email protected]
Rosie Lewis seems nice.
November 26, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Rosie Lewis seems nice.
Ofsted’s annual fostering stats are out today. They show a 1% fall in fostering households, continuing the recent trend of slow decline. gov.uk/government/sta…
Some thoughts from me in a 🧵
Some thoughts from me in a 🧵
https://gov.uk/government/sta…
November 26, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Ofsted’s annual fostering stats are out today. They show a 1% fall in fostering households, continuing the recent trend of slow decline. gov.uk/government/sta…
Some thoughts from me in a 🧵
Some thoughts from me in a 🧵
Reposted
The latest Week in Care is out, rounding up news and analysis about children’s services and the care of young people from the past seven days. Sign up for your weekly email via [email protected]
November 24, 2025 at 6:06 PM
The latest Week in Care is out, rounding up news and analysis about children’s services and the care of young people from the past seven days. Sign up for your weekly email via [email protected]
We are so quick to hail someone as our own when they are winning.
November 24, 2025 at 10:07 PM
We are so quick to hail someone as our own when they are winning.
The latest Week in Care is out, rounding up news and analysis about children’s services and the care of young people from the past seven days. Sign up for your weekly email via [email protected]
November 24, 2025 at 6:06 PM
The latest Week in Care is out, rounding up news and analysis about children’s services and the care of young people from the past seven days. Sign up for your weekly email via [email protected]
£550m boost for children’s social care reform over next three years
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/24/5...
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/24/5...
£550m boost for children's social care reform - Community Care
Extra children's social care reform funding for family help and child protection takes total to £2.4bn from 2026-29
www.communitycare.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 2:44 PM
£550m boost for children’s social care reform over next three years
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/24/5...
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/24/5...
More then 2,000 trafficked children and lone child asylum seekers missing from UK councils’ care
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
More then 2,000 trafficked children and lone child asylum seekers missing from UK councils’ care
Charities say vulnerable young people are being failed by local authorities, the police and central government
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:47 AM
More then 2,000 trafficked children and lone child asylum seekers missing from UK councils’ care
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
In a crowded space, this is one of the worst Ofsted reports into a home for children in care I have read. The provider is Woodland Initiative Ltd. Inspectors warn that that children who live in this service are not safe. Bleak.
reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-r...
reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-r...
Find an Ofsted inspection report
reports.ofsted.gov.uk
November 23, 2025 at 6:34 PM
In a crowded space, this is one of the worst Ofsted reports into a home for children in care I have read. The provider is Woodland Initiative Ltd. Inspectors warn that that children who live in this service are not safe. Bleak.
reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-r...
reports.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-r...
The present government’s bias against children’s homes must be challenged. 🧵
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/21/c...
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/21/c...
Care population falls but number in children's homes rises - Community Care
Fall in care population driven in part by reduction in number of unaccompanied asylum seekers, while data also shows rise in use of special guardianship orders
www.communitycare.co.uk
November 22, 2025 at 2:16 PM
The present government’s bias against children’s homes must be challenged. 🧵
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/21/c...
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/21/c...
Planning application for what would be the 8th children’s home in a single postcode area of County Durham, submitted by a private company
www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2564011...
www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2564011...
'We are at saturation point': County Durham children's home refused after concerns
Plans for a children's home on New Road in Crook have been refused by Durham County Council after neighbours objected.
www.thenorthernecho.co.uk
November 22, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Planning application for what would be the 8th children’s home in a single postcode area of County Durham, submitted by a private company
www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2564011...
www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/2564011...
A 24 year-old who grew up in care has gone on to work for the same team that helped her when she left the system, because of how positive her experience was.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Shropshire care leaver joins council team which helped her
Alysha Ridley says her lived experience helps young people in care feel comfortable with her.
www.bbc.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:25 AM
A 24 year-old who grew up in care has gone on to work for the same team that helped her when she left the system, because of how positive her experience was.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
The number of looked-after children in England has fallen for the second year running, latest Department for Education figures reveal.
www.cypnow.co.uk/content/news...
www.cypnow.co.uk/content/news...
Looked-after children numbers fall to lowest level since pandemic - CYP Now
The number of looked-after children in England has fallen for the second year running, latest Department for Education figures reveal.
www.cypnow.co.uk
November 20, 2025 at 7:08 PM
The number of looked-after children in England has fallen for the second year running, latest Department for Education figures reveal.
www.cypnow.co.uk/content/news...
www.cypnow.co.uk/content/news...
Reposted
The government has established a new public services cabinet committee. It will be chaired by Darren Jones, with Streeting, Phillipson and Reed also permanent members.
Yesterday we called for govt to urgently establish a cross-govt approach to public services, so this is potentially promising
Yesterday we called for govt to urgently establish a cross-govt approach to public services, so this is potentially promising
November 20, 2025 at 9:45 AM
The government has established a new public services cabinet committee. It will be chaired by Darren Jones, with Streeting, Phillipson and Reed also permanent members.
Yesterday we called for govt to urgently establish a cross-govt approach to public services, so this is potentially promising
Yesterday we called for govt to urgently establish a cross-govt approach to public services, so this is potentially promising
MacAlister pledges action on out-of-area placements as data shows children placed further from home
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/18/m...
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/18/m...
Josh MacAlister pledges action on out-of-area care placements - Community Care
Minister Josh MacAlister says forthcoming plan to 'improve and expand fostering' will cut numbers placed away from their communities
www.communitycare.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 6:27 PM
MacAlister pledges action on out-of-area placements as data shows children placed further from home
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/18/m...
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/18/m...
Children in care who lash out may no longer face automatic arrest under UK review
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Children in care who lash out may no longer face automatic arrest under UK review
Plan aims to restrict ‘over-policing’ of looked-after young people and ensure challenging behaviour is met with support rather than criminalisation
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Children in care who lash out may no longer face automatic arrest under UK review
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Training hub in Nottingham teaches care leavers practical skills
Courses are being trialled in a
www.bbc.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 6:25 PM
A 12-year-old girl who was suffering acute psychosis died in hospital less than a month after being detained under the Mental Health Act, an inquest has heard.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Girl, 12, died after being sectioned, Sheffield inquest told
Mia Lucas was found unresponsive at Sheffield Children's Hospital in January 2024, a jury is told.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 6:24 PM
A 12-year-old girl who was suffering acute psychosis died in hospital less than a month after being detained under the Mental Health Act, an inquest has heard.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Number of children in care in Northern Ireland reaches record high with more than 100 in ‘inappropriate’ placements
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/...
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/...
Number of children in care in NI reaches record high with more than 100 in ‘inappropriate’ placements
New figures that reveal how more than 100 young people in care in Northern Ireland are without an appropriate placement for their needs are “alarming”, an MLA has said.
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Number of children in care in Northern Ireland reaches record high with more than 100 in ‘inappropriate’ placements
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/...
www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/...
Thousands of children are being taken into care and sent to live great distances from their families and communities, according to today’s government data.
explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statist...
explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statist...
Children looked after: A focus on placement location, Reporting year 2024
Analysis of Children Looked After (CLA) in England by location of their placement and distance from home (out of area placements), including trends over time.
explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk
November 18, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Thousands of children are being taken into care and sent to live great distances from their families and communities, according to today’s government data.
explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statist...
explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statist...
Reposted
What the Labour Party used to understand was that it wasn’t that immigration was tearing the country apart, but that immigration was what was holding the country together. Immigration kept our NHS going, our transport system going, our education and much more.
It’s still true. They must know it.
It’s still true. They must know it.
November 18, 2025 at 8:23 AM
What the Labour Party used to understand was that it wasn’t that immigration was tearing the country apart, but that immigration was what was holding the country together. Immigration kept our NHS going, our transport system going, our education and much more.
It’s still true. They must know it.
It’s still true. They must know it.
Reposted
The latest Week in Care is out, rounding up news and views about children’s services and the care of young people from the past seven days. Sign up for this free service via [email protected]
November 17, 2025 at 6:19 PM
The latest Week in Care is out, rounding up news and views about children’s services and the care of young people from the past seven days. Sign up for this free service via [email protected]
The latest Week in Care is out, rounding up news and views about children’s services and the care of young people from the past seven days. Sign up for this free service via [email protected]
November 17, 2025 at 6:19 PM
The latest Week in Care is out, rounding up news and views about children’s services and the care of young people from the past seven days. Sign up for this free service via [email protected]
Abysmal care of children at this children’s home run by the private company Young Foundations Limited in Calderdale. Seven children live here.
reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/2/1...
reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/2/1...
November 16, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Abysmal care of children at this children’s home run by the private company Young Foundations Limited in Calderdale. Seven children live here.
reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/2/1...
reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/2/1...
Reposted
Para mí el hilo del mes
bsky.app/profile/kiko...
bsky.app/profile/kiko...
📈 Los jóvenes españoles giran a la derecha.
Es un vuelco histórico: nunca en 40 años se habían ubicado tan a la derecha. Nunca habían sido el grupo más de derechas.
Hasta ahora. Hilo 👇
Es un vuelco histórico: nunca en 40 años se habían ubicado tan a la derecha. Nunca habían sido el grupo más de derechas.
Hasta ahora. Hilo 👇
November 15, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Para mí el hilo del mes
bsky.app/profile/kiko...
bsky.app/profile/kiko...