@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 weekincare@gmail.com
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The latest Week in Care is in inboxes now. This week’s edition is not an easy read.
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The clearest proof that the UK is *not* the destination of choice for asylum seekers comes from the Home Office data showing the UK is not the destination of choice for asylum seekers
November 14, 2025 at 7:41 AM
The clearest proof that the UK is *not* the destination of choice for asylum seekers comes from the Home Office data showing the UK is not the destination of choice for asylum seekers
At 15, Chereece Bateson was missing almost every day while living in care. Now 24, she’s helping to build a new service designed to stop other children from falling through the cracks
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
‘I lived in a toxic household – I went missing 27 times in a month’
At 15, Chereece Bateson was missing almost every day while living in care. Now 24, she tells Tara Cobham why she’s helping to build a new service designed to stop other children from falling through t...
www.independent.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 8:00 AM
At 15, Chereece Bateson was missing almost every day while living in care. Now 24, she’s helping to build a new service designed to stop other children from falling through the cracks
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...
The special educational needs and disabilities system for children in England faces "total collapse"
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Special needs support in England faces 'total collapse', councils warn
The government is facing political pressure as it tries to reform the
www.bbc.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 7:18 AM
The special educational needs and disabilities system for children in England faces "total collapse"
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Sara Sharif -what we now know from the Safeguarding Review. Via @seethrujustice.transparencyproject.org.uk
transparencyproject.org.uk/sara-sharif-...
transparencyproject.org.uk/sara-sharif-...
Sara Sharif -what we now know from the Safeguarding Review
Chris Barnes represented the journalists, Louise Tickle and Hannah Summers, in proceedings before the High Court and Court of Appeal arising from applications f
transparencyproject.org.uk
November 13, 2025 at 10:37 PM
Sara Sharif -what we now know from the Safeguarding Review. Via @seethrujustice.transparencyproject.org.uk
transparencyproject.org.uk/sara-sharif-...
transparencyproject.org.uk/sara-sharif-...
Cornwall Council offered suppliers £6 million to staff illegal children’s homes. Shocking investigation by @tbij.bsky.social
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
Cornwall council offered suppliers £6m to staff illegal children’s…
Regulators intervene after UK local authority accused of normalising unlawful placements
www.thebureauinvestigates.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Cornwall Council offered suppliers £6 million to staff illegal children’s homes. Shocking investigation by @tbij.bsky.social
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
www.thebureauinvestigates.com/stories/2025...
How broken is the children’s homes ‘market’? Prosperity Children’s Services Ltd already operates seven Ofsted-registered children’s homes in Lancashire, but has never cared for a Lancashire child.
www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/2561798...
www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/2561798...
www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk
November 13, 2025 at 3:15 PM
How broken is the children’s homes ‘market’? Prosperity Children’s Services Ltd already operates seven Ofsted-registered children’s homes in Lancashire, but has never cared for a Lancashire child.
www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/2561798...
www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/2561798...
Council staff visited wrong address day before Sara Sharif’s murder, review finds
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Council staff visited wrong address day before Sara Sharif’s murder, review finds
Education secretary says report highlights ‘glaring failures and missed opportunities’ by various agencies
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2025 at 11:20 AM
Council staff visited wrong address day before Sara Sharif’s murder, review finds
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
It is always frustrating when media describe foster care allowances as ‘pay’, akin to wages or salaries
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Foster carers in Worcestershire awarded pay rises of up to 7%
The decision was made by Reform councillor Justin Bowen, who spent time in respite foster care as a child.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 12, 2025 at 6:24 PM
It is always frustrating when media describe foster care allowances as ‘pay’, akin to wages or salaries
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Private care providers in three English regions make £250m in three years
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Private care providers in three English regions make £250m in three years
More than third of profits analysed went to firms owned by private equity or based in tax havens, research finds
www.theguardian.com
November 12, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Private care providers in three English regions make £250m in three years
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
A charitable trust has set out plans to buy 20 properties near to its schools to help vulnerable pupils and their families.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Oasis Charitable Trust to offer 20 homes for vulnerable pupils
The trust hopes the scheme will improve education outcomes for pupils in Sheffield and Scunthorpe.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 12, 2025 at 6:16 PM
A charitable trust has set out plans to buy 20 properties near to its schools to help vulnerable pupils and their families.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
For all the faux outrage about Bob Vylan, he is still deemed to merit a regular First Night review in The Times
November 12, 2025 at 1:42 PM
For all the faux outrage about Bob Vylan, he is still deemed to merit a regular First Night review in The Times
Numbers behind the rise in referrals of children to anti-extremism programme
www.cypnow.co.uk/content/anal...
www.cypnow.co.uk/content/anal...
Numbers behind the rise in referrals of children to anti-extremism programme - CYP Now
Latest data shows there was an alarming rise in the number of children and young people referred to the government’s Prevent programme due to concerns they were susceptible to radicalisation.
www.cypnow.co.uk
November 12, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Numbers behind the rise in referrals of children to anti-extremism programme
www.cypnow.co.uk/content/anal...
www.cypnow.co.uk/content/anal...
‘We cannot keep him safe’: the impact of trauma post adoption
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/12/w...
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/12/w...
Post-adoption trauma - Community Care
The long-lasting impact of developmental trauma on children post adoption has been laid bare by research that charts the huge toll on families
www.communitycare.co.uk
November 12, 2025 at 12:37 PM
‘We cannot keep him safe’: the impact of trauma post adoption
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/12/w...
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/12/w...
Seven men charged in Bristol child sexual exploitation investigation
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Seven men charged in Bristol child sexual exploitation investigation
Men appear in court accused of more than 40 offences against teenage girls
www.theguardian.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Seven men charged in Bristol child sexual exploitation investigation
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
What does ‘success’ mean to care leavers? A project shaped by care experienced people has identified what matters to them - and how different this is from what is currently captured in national statistics and pathway plans.
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/11/w...
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/11/w...
What does ‘success’ mean to care leavers? Findings from research - Community Care
A project shaped by care experienced people has identified what matters to care leavers - and how different this is from what is currently collected
www.communitycare.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 6:47 PM
What does ‘success’ mean to care leavers? A project shaped by care experienced people has identified what matters to them - and how different this is from what is currently captured in national statistics and pathway plans.
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/11/w...
www.communitycare.co.uk/2025/11/11/w...
The death of Nonita Grabovskyte exposes how broken Britain's care system is
news.sky.com/story/why-no...
news.sky.com/story/why-no...
Why Nonita's story could be a turning point for children in care
The death of Nonita Grabovskyte exposes how broken Britain's care system is - and our story about her is one authorities did not want you to know about.
news.sky.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:34 PM
The death of Nonita Grabovskyte exposes how broken Britain's care system is
news.sky.com/story/why-no...
news.sky.com/story/why-no...
England’s children’s commissioner calls for closure of young offender institutions
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
England’s children’s commissioner calls for closure of young offender institutions
Dame Rachel de Souza says hundreds of children are being locked up unnecessarily due to failing services
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:33 PM
England’s children’s commissioner calls for closure of young offender institutions
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
Lucas Johnson, 16, who died at a children’s home near Preston, was living 150 miles from his home town of Grimsby.
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/uk-worl...
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/uk-worl...
Boy, 16, found dead in children's home
An investigation has been launched
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Lucas Johnson, 16, who died at a children’s home near Preston, was living 150 miles from his home town of Grimsby.
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/uk-worl...
www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/uk-worl...
The Government has published its response to Susannah Hancock’s independent review into the care of girls in the youth justice secure estate
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Government response to the independent review: delivering the best for girls in custody
www.gov.uk
November 11, 2025 at 6:10 PM
The Government has published its response to Susannah Hancock’s independent review into the care of girls in the youth justice secure estate
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Well…Cost of privately-run children's homes in Blackpool soars to £21m a year as council looks at in-house option
www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/cost-of...
www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/cost-of...
Cost of privately-run children's homes in resort soars to £21m a year
Blackpool Council is looking into alternative models of residential care for children in the face of the “unsustainable” £21 million a year costs of private care provision.
www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk
November 11, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Well…Cost of privately-run children's homes in Blackpool soars to £21m a year as council looks at in-house option
www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/cost-of...
www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/cost-of...
Children’s services in Manchester have been judged outstanding by Ofsted
reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/44/...
reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/44/...
November 11, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Children’s services in Manchester have been judged outstanding by Ofsted
reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/44/...
reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/44/...
Heartbreaking: the tragic life of Craig, failed by the care system
www.theguardian.com/news/2025/no...
www.theguardian.com/news/2025/no...
When I met Craig he was 13 and homeless. I still thought his life might turn around. I was tragically wrong
The long read: I knew he was running away from something. It wasn’t until many years later that I discovered the truth
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Heartbreaking: the tragic life of Craig, failed by the care system
www.theguardian.com/news/2025/no...
www.theguardian.com/news/2025/no...
The latest Week in Care is in inboxes now. This week’s edition is not an easy read.
November 10, 2025 at 7:28 PM
The latest Week in Care is in inboxes now. This week’s edition is not an easy read.
BBC tragedy is that there is no need to doctor the crazy things that Trump says
November 10, 2025 at 8:13 AM
BBC tragedy is that there is no need to doctor the crazy things that Trump says