The Government can count on members of the Independent Children's Homes Association to co-operate enthusiastically as it implements reforms in the residential child care sector protecting and promoting the interests of vulnerable looked after children. The ICHA has long urged action and sought allies in pursuit of these goals.

A new protocol between Ofsted, police, local authorities and the Office of the Children's Commissioner on sharing information about children's homes gives opportunity to a new good-faith collaboration characterised by transparency.

Several statements clear the decks of past misunderstandings and misrepresentations about children's homes. Free from that past...

A young person going missing is vulnerable. It is a very serious event that needs us all to pull together in an urgent protective response, everyone doing all they can, according to new guidance that underpins the responses of care agencies and Police responses.

Children in care...

The Early Intervention Foundation's (EIF) aspiration to end late intervention should be accompanied by research into residential options for children.

We must not close our eyes to any option that will benefit children. Full spectrum research could go beyond a focus on what people currently see as being 'early intervention,'...

The Children and Families Bill will have many champions as it advances the early intervention agenda.

It's an agenda that many of us who work in services for children with high level needs have been working on for years.

With this bill the government seems to be heralding a reinvention...

Early intervention for children in need could stop them becoming children in care. For many this will be successful, depending on their needs.

Some will be adopted. For many this will be successful, depending on their needs.

Others will be fostered. For many this will be successful, depending on...

In 2013 let's make it an entitlement that every child looked after by the corporate parent, that's you and me not just local authorities and government, has the emotional, physical and legal conditions necessary to experience security, continuity, and commitment, developing a freely chosen identity.

Supporting adoption and fostering means...

Serious discussion about the role and future of our children's homes has sadly been obscured by press sensationalism. Yet we are all corporate parents for nearly 6,000 young people in residential care. We give the responsibility to the local authorities to assess their needs and make sure they have the...

The children's homes that were unfairly vilified in Rochdale have now been vindicated by the report from the Rochdale Safeguarding Children's Board.

The report is the first public acceptance of proactive safeguarding work by Rochdale children's homes.

An apology would be welcome but, more importantly, now knowing the...

EastEnders actress Pam St Clements recently told the Guardian that she preferred fostering to children's homes.

She said "I'm very, very strongly in favour of giving people the opportunity of a family. Today, people wanting to enter the fostering system have to jump through a lot of hoops. There have...

Dear Tim,

The shape and purpose of residential child care for some of our most vulnerable children could be set for a generation in forthcoming government announcements which are in response to a high-profile parliamentary report on runaway children and news reports concerning child sexual exploitation.

The announcements follow...