Like a protective sibling, I am the first to both criticise and defend the care system. It failed and saved me in equal measure. In adult life, I returned to it as a social worker. I know its flaws and its potential to change lives. The sector is stretched and underfunded. People working in the care system welcomed the promise of a review, but our hopes were short-lived.
The landmark review of children’s social care in England, released today, has been dubbed a “once in a generation opportunity” to transform the system. To anyone who has lived through, or worked within it, that may have sounded more like a threat than a promise. Any harmful recommendations could linger for decades – a terrifying prospect. Children in care are among the most vulnerable in society: they are twice as likely to die prematurely and only 6% will end up in university.
