Parents feel left out of their children’s lives when they are taken into care. Some describe it as “a living nightmare, hell on earth” and “…a never ending battle. No one listens. No one understands.” These findings come from a report by the Children’s Rights Director for England, Dr Roger Morgan. The report is based on a survey of the views of children and their parents. 

The Audit Commission is introducing short notice inspections for housing associations following a successful pilot programme. The shorterinspections will take less time to complete than the conventional inspections,as they will specifically target weaker services. This new approach will helpto drive through improvements in services to tenants and leaseholders and also reducethe regulatory burden. 

By Robert Maragh.
There is a growing view that services need to be shaped by and responsive to children and young people – but what does this mean in practice? Robert Maragh, Head of Integrated Children’s Commissioning in the London Borough of Newham, explains how his team makes sure that children and young people are involved at every stage of the commissioning process, and why services are improving as a result.