An investigation to locate so-called “ghost children” who have fallen off the radar during the pandemic is to be launched by England’s children’s commissioner, the Observer can reveal, amid growing concerns over their welfare.
In an intervention further highlighting the concerns over the whereabouts of tens of thousands of children, Rachel de Souza said she would immediately begin an exhaustive inquiry to find missing students in 10 areas to assess why they have disappeared from official view.
Read the full article in the Guardian here.
Hundreds of English schools still at risk from crumbling concrete
Hundreds of schools in England are still at risk of collapse from crumbling concrete, according to previously unpublished figures. Official data, which the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Thousands of young people placed in council care more than 20 miles away from home, analysis shows
A third of children in council care in 2023 lived over 20 miles away from their local area, school and family – around 4,600 people in total.
£600m boost for social care next year announced in Budget
Councils’ available spending to grow by an estimated 3.2% in real terms in 2025-26, with authorities also given £250m to test new approaches in children’s