Children's rights must be central to Children’s Social Care National Implementation Board

Whilst BASW welcomes the development of a Children’s Social Care National Implementation Board, we join calls for the government to urgently establish a strategy as to how it will engage with the full spectrum of diversity which exists amongst the care-experienced population – and to ensure that voices of children and young people are meaningfully represented.

The board has been set up as part of the government’s initial response to recommendations from three major reviews into the sector this year, namely the review of children’s social care, the independent Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel’s review into the murders of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and Star Hobson, and the Competition and Markets Authority’s report into the children’s social care market.

The board, chaired by a DfE minister yet to be announced, will ‘advise ministers on the implementation of reform across children’s social care’. It consists of 10 members, billed as ‘strategic leaders and people with lived experience of the care system’ – however (to our knowledge) , only 2 of the 10 individuals appointed have direct experience of being in the care system.

Notable appointments include Chief Social Worker Isabelle Trowler, as well as Children’s Commissioner Rachel De Souza. Disappointingly, there are no front-line social workers on the board nor a representative from the British Association of Social Workers, the only social work professional association in the UK. Questions must be raised as to the value placed on the vast expertise available within our profession. Furthermore, despite the review describing fostering as the ‘bedrock of the care system’, the voice of foster carers remains absent.  

Whilst it is positive that the board consists of 2 individuals with care-experience and others with lived experience of being a parent/carer, the rich and diverse care-experienced population is not fully represented. None are adoptees, despite adoption being on the rise in the UK. Most concerning of all is the lack of representation from Black and minoritised groups. BASW’s initial response to the care review called out concerns about a lack of focus on structural injustices and inequalities including racism. We have consistently called for the review to adopted an anti-racist, anti-oppressive and anti-poverty approach, as well as other key asks outlined in our 10 priorities for the care review.

In previous boards of this scale, BASW – as well as other diverse organisations and charities bringing wide-ranging expertise across the sector – have been present, allowing for challenge, accountability and sector-wide scrutiny.

BASW calls for the government to act to ensure that child participation is meaningfully implemented within the board, and children’s rights are central throughout.  

Early on, BASW members raised concerns around the lack of transparent process from the inception of the care review – further details are available in our 10 priority areas.  

Maris Stratulis, BASW England National Director, said:

"Meaningful engagement with both children in care and care-leavers is long overdue. BASW urges that immediate efforts are made to make the board representative of those it serves, and also those who work tirelessly within children’s social care".