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Vulnerable children being damaged by care delays

Published 09 August 2010

Barnardo's criticises 'desperate limbo' of current system.

Delays in the care system are leading to vulnerable children being place at risk, says children's charity Barnardo's.

At the moment county courts are taking 57 weeks on average to make care or supervision orders relating to children. Family courts are not much faster, with an average wait of 45 weeks for cases to be resolved.

Barnardo's chief executive Martin Narey said that this sort of delay "an inordinate amount of time for them to be trapped in desperate limbo, unclear of their future and very possibly at risk".

"At a time when stable relationships and secure attachments are vital for a child, they are instead engulfed in a period of uncertainty and confusion," he said.

According to the charity the situation has worsened in recent years, with court statistics showing a 50% rise unresolved care cases from the end of 2008 to the end of 2009.

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1 comment from readers

Coram children's charity
09 August 2010 at 12:45

It is appalling that so many children are left waiting for decisions to be made about their futures. As this evidence shows, it is time now to put the needs of children first and make decisions faster. Of course such decisions cannot be made lightly, but this delay means children are subjected to a life without love and stability for far too long, moved from carer to carer.

Until there is a radical shift to the system, we need to look at ways to prevent long lasting damage to these children. One example is Concurrent Planning which places babies with foster carers who go onto adopt the child if the courts decide the birth parents cannot care for them.

The UK’s first Family Drug and Alcohol Court has speeded up decision-making for children whose parents have serious substance abuse problems. The project shows the impact that the courts, social workers and drug and alcohol agencies can have if they all work closely together within set timeframes.

As a society we need to recognise how incredibly vulnerable these children are, and how it feels to be without anyone who cares enough to fight for you – something most children take for granted. We owe these children the care they deserve, and the best possible chance in life.