A NATIONAL review of children’s services led by a Cumbrian expert has been informed by the experiences and challenges of local government.

Local government is tasked with delivering Children and Families Services for example in Cumbria, it is the responsibility of the county council.

Josh MacAlister of Eden, has led The Independent Review of Children’s Social Care, a “once in a generation” overhaul of the system.

And speaking about the review in a webinar this week, Mr MacAlister said: “You can see the fingerprints of local government, and in particular the County Councils Network, in many of our recommendations.”

He said that the lived experiences of both service users and providers have been vital in the process.

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The County Councils Network published a report on the future of children’s social care in March, and many of its recommendations have been adopted by the independent review.

CCN recommended that “local government should remain at the heart of delivering protection and support to children.”

They also said that they wanted to see “a commitment from local government to implement a consistently high standard of evidence-backed, relationship-based support for children and families on both ‘edges of care.’

“Local and national investment to transform the care market” was another of their key recommendations.

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Explaining his vision for the future of children’s social care across the UK, Mr MacAlister said: “Overall, the ideas are really about one thing, resetting the children’s social care system so it is better able to support the families and communities that are able to offer love and security and support to children growing up.

“At the minute we’ve got a system which is too driven by later intervention, not helping families early enough with raising their children and also a care system which is often not able to provide the loving life-long relationships that children need.”

Recommendations set out by the independent review include creating 9,000 new foster homes in the next three years and investing significant resources into a new, high quality Family Help system.

The review also calls for £2.6 billion in Government investment nationally, driving its ambitious programme of reforms for the next five years.

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