Read our news updates to find out about our latest views, work and developments.
Form F (2025) has been updated to improve its language and tone, making it more accessible for both carers and assessors. One of the most important changes is the addition of a new section focused on children’s needs—and how prospective carers can meet them.
Jo Francis introduces two of our essential short legal guides, Fostering Now and Adoption Now. The guides are designed to help social work professionals quickly access the legislation, standards, and guidance they need. Created with busy practitioners in mind, these practical, time-saving resources are ideal for anyone working in fostering or adoption.
As the government rolls out its policy agenda, staying informed is crucial for our members. We have written a brief overview of the most recent developments to help you stay up to date.
CoramBAAF invites local authorities to submit examples of innovative kinship care practice for the “Pitching Good Practice” spots at this year’s Kinship Care Conference in London on 13 October 2025.
Most of us would say we’re not biased and that we always look at situations fairly and without prejudice, but it’s this misguided bias that adversely impacts decisionmaking. The research of Dr Arlene Weekes proves that utilising the ‘Effective use of Personal and Professional Judgement’ (EPPJ) framework to increase personal awareness has a positive impact on professional effectiveness, particularly for panel chairs.
The Government have announced this week that there will be changes to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund. Whilst the commitment to sustain the fund for 2025-26 announced earlier this month was welcome, it is disappointing to see that as more children are coming forward, their access is being further limited.
The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill strengthens child protection, mandates Family Group Decision Making (FGDM), enhances multi-agency safeguarding, and expands schools’ duties. It also supports kinship care, improves regional cooperation, and increases Ofsted oversight. Now at its second reading in the House of Lords, it continues to shape children’s social care.
At a recent Quality Circle meeting, chaired by Gemma Taylor KC and featuring Professor Brid Featherstone, over 160 participants came together to explore ways to improve how child protection systems address domestic abuse. In this summary, Kinship Consultant Clare Seth shares key findings, lessons, challenges and actions from the discussion.
CoramBAAF welcomes today’s announcement of the continuation of the ASGSF. We recognise how reliant families are on the therapy that it provides. We share concerns about the delays in the announcement and the continued delay in applications opening.
CoramBAAF’s inaugural panel chairs and advisers conference brought together over 110 professionals to discuss collective decisionmaking, child-centred recommendations, and the role of personal judgement in panel work. Elaine Dibben reflects on how the conference encouraged meaningful networking, highlighted key challenges and insights from experts, and reinforced the value of panels in safeguarding and supporting children’s welfare.
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