National review of care planning for children and young people report published
We looked at the steps local authorities take before initiating court proceedings to ask for a care order to take a child into care, or for a supervision order to be made.
Our review found that families subject to legal planning and pre-proceedings are given extensive support and opportunities to make effective changes before further legal action is taken. This means children and young people are supported to remain with their families where it is safe for them to do so.
However, we also found that improvements are needed regarding parent’s access to advocacy, and there is a lack of clear and concise literature to explain the Public Law Outline (PLO) process to families.
The review also described some delays in assessments taking place, which could impede decision-making and ultimately affect the provision of timely support.
Next steps
Local authorities need time to further embed practice and make improvements. We will continue to follow progress made by local authorities during its performance review activities in 2025 and beyond.
To read the full report, please click the link at the bottom of this page.