This article reports that in 2024, over  2,000 children identified as trafficked or unaccompanied asylum seekers went missing while under the care of local authorities in the UK — 37% of 2,335 trafficked children, and 13% of 11,999 lone‑child asyl

This article highlights the experiences of Greenlandic families in Denmark whose children were taken into care following parental competency tests (FKUs), which critics say are culturally biased, conducted in Danish rather than Kalaallisut, and fa

he article reports that Alf Dubs, a veteran Labour peer and former child refugee, strongly criticized the new asylum proposals by the Home Office under Shabana Mahmood, accusing the government of “using children as a weapon.” The proposed reforms

This article describes how the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality in Ireland, Norma Foley, has announced the start of a consultation process for the forthcoming “National Policy Framework on Alternative Care” which aims to shape Irelan

This Guardian article tells the story of Craig, who became homeless at 13 after running away from a children’s home in Nottingham.

The Family Network Pilot (FNP) aims to help UK children stay safely within their extended families and prevent entry into care by providing Family Group Conferences and Family Network Support Packages. This report evaluates the pilot’s implementation, processes, and impacts across seven local authorities, using qualitative research and monitoring data analysis.

This study examines Norwegian birth parents’ perspectives on the support they need for successful family reunification, revealing significant gaps in guidance, financial assistance, and help mobilizing social networks. The findings underscore that low trust in child welfare services can hinder parents’ willingness to accept support, highlighting the need for stronger institutional collaboration and tailored assistance before, during, and after reunification.

The Children’s Commissioner’s report “The Criminalisation of Children in Care” reveals a deeply concerning pattern: children in care in the UK are disproportionately drawn into the criminal justice system, often for low-level incidents that, in a family setting, would be handled without police involvement. To address this, the Commissioner calls for a strengthened, statutory protocol among police, local authorities, and youth services; better diversion pathways; a more child-friendly prosecution process; increased legal aid and training; more stable, high-quality care placements; and improved data sharing to monitor and prevent harmful police involvement.

In October 2025, CELCIS hosted the first in a new series of learning conversations exploring developments in residential child care across Scotland. This webinar built on over twenty years of CELCIS working alongside the residential child care workforce – listening, learning, and collaborating to strengthen a connected community of care. Over this time, engagement through events and through the Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care brought together the voices of those with care experience, practitioners, leaders, policymakers, partners, students, and academics.

Drawing on what practitioners had shared in recent engagement forums, and on insights from Journal articles, authors, and themes, CELCIS is creating new learning opportunities to share practice, support professional development, and build environments that enable meaningful change.

Our first learning conversation Change in Residential Child Care in Scotland took place online on Tuesday 28 October. Speakers from Glasgow City Council, the Care Inspectorate, Aberlour Children’s Charity Sycamore Services, and CELCIS explored how residential child care was changing across Scotland. Attendees heard:

How nurture principles were being introduced into Glasgow’s children’s homes

How the Care Inspectorate was reshaping its inspection approach to place The Promise at the centre

How Aberlour Children’s Charity Sycamore Residential Service was supporting staff teams to grow their skills and confidence through reflective practice

Drawing on content previously published in the Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care, these stories highlighted how new models of care, regulatory change, and whole-system approaches were shaping practice, strengthening professional learning, and making a real difference for children, young people, and the adults who support them.

This article reports a 45% increase in the number of children in England waiting for adoption since 2022, while the number of approved adopters has fallen by around 42%.