Making Choices : Pamela

Mother and toddler groups, play groups or Tumble Tots – what’s best for children? One mother’s view. This is the first of a new column in which Valerie Jackson has invited a number of parents whose children are now well beyond nursery age to reflect on their choices for or against nursery care for their … Read more

Keeping Parliamentarians Informed: Respect and Youth Justice

In the last month, the All Party Parliamentary Group for Children has held two meetings: Monday 6 February – Respect and Anti-Social Behaviour: with presentations from members of Young NCB and the UK Youth Parliament, and Pam Hibbert (Barnardo’s) Monday 13 February – Youth Justice: with speakers Professor Rod Morgan (Chair, Youth Justice Board for … Read more

Residential Care Service

I just love it when the veil of confusion is lifted from my eyes and everything becomes clear. Over the past year I have become concerned and even frustrated at times, as the residential care service seemed to be slipping back to the bad old days of the 1980s, when it was beset by bad … Read more

The Growth of Self-Esteem in Young People

It was not long after a two-week trip to Germany, Switzerland and Holland that I was talking with the mother of one of the young people who came with us.  She was, so she told me, surprised to the point of shock by the extraordinary development of what she called “confidence” in her daughter following … Read more

In Care : Where Did She Go?

Leanne kept disappearing from the children’s home on Saturday afternoons. If you want to read the first part, click here. On my cold and lonely walk back to the Assessment Centre I tried to review the possibilities about Leanne’s Saturday adventures. She was fourteen years old, petite, blonde haired and very pretty. She was also … Read more

Selling a New Model

Childcare is a tired term, and there is an argument for using pedagogical or educational thinking to give children their space in society. A fascinating article appeared in the January edition of the National Institute Economic Review[1]. This is not a journal that I normally read, but the title of the piece Farewell to Childcare … Read more

Damned if you Do, and Damned if you Don’t

"It sometimes seems that social workers are damned if they do and damned if they don’t."  This was our response to Charles Pragnell’s last article. We have come across people who complain that the social services have not intervened early enough or with sufficient decisiveness, as unhappily evidenced in the Victoria Climbie case. But we … Read more

Book Review: Wolf Brother

Name of book: Wolf BrotherAuthor: Michelle PaverPublisher: OrionISBN No: 1842551701Price: £8.99 Reviewed by James aged 9A score out of 10: 10 (1 being rubbish and 10 being fantastic/excellent)Please write a very short review:A very good book for people looking for action/fantasy. I liked the part when Torak is captured by the raven clan and taken … Read more

Book Review: Gladiators from Capua

Name of book: Gladiators from Capua Author: Caroline Lawrence Publisher: Orion ISBN No: 184255252X Price: £7.99 First name of child reviewing the above book and their age: Zack aged 9 A score out of 10: 10 (1 being rubbish and 10 being fantastic/excellent) Please write a very short review: The book is about what it … Read more

Book Review: The Enemies of Jupiter

Name of book: The Enemies of Jupiter Author: Caroline Lawrence Publisher: Orion ISBN No: 1842551647 Price: £4.99 First name of child reviewing the above book and their age: Toby aged 9 A score out of 10: 5 (1 being rubbish and 10 being fantastic/excellent) Please write a very short review: This book is about how … Read more

Book Review: Dogman

Name of CD: Dogman Author: John Dowie Publisher: Laughing Stock Productions Ltd ISBN No: 1902607686 Price: First name of child reviewing the above book and their age: George aged 9 A score out of 10: 8 (1 being rubbish and 10 being fantastic/excellent) Please write a very short review: Dogman is very exciting and is … Read more