This study aims to explore how local authority child and family practitioners understood and implement the contextual safeguarding approach focusing, in particular, on what practitioners felt supported and hindered implementation.

A lack of basic resources and financial difficulties affect many families and increase risks to children. Social workers’ ability to help is limited by scarce resources, and managers usually control the financial and material help that is available, making it difficult to access directly. This article reports on a mixed methods evaluation of ‘devolved budgets’ (DBs), an intervention where social workers could use up to £10,000 to help families directly and reduce the need for children to enter care.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant challenges for young people leaving care, highlighting gaps in support, financial hardship, and increased isolation.

Senior leaders reveal how austerity has reshaped children’s social care, increasing pressure on services, weakening leadership capacity and impacting outcomes for children in care.

Research reveals that parents and young people often feel unheard, intimidated and ill‑prepared in child protection conferences, limiting meaningful participation and trust in the process.

Research finds that many looked‑after children and young people struggle to meaningfully participate in their Child in Care Reviews due to confusion, poor relationships and organisational barriers.

Research shows many looked-after young people feel sidelined and stressed in Child in Care Reviews, with participation often limited by poor relationships and process barriers.