Social work news

• Hampshire Hive: fostering through a community of families

  21-08-2025 10:00
  
  Welcome to a new three-part series, in collaboration with Hampshire County Council’s Fostering Service, called Hampshire Hive: Fostering Through a Community of Families.
  Hampshire Hive is a support network funded by Hampshire County Council that assists fostering families across the county. Each hive consists of a small number of fostering families who support one another in their local area, with one of them, known as the Hive carer support worker, co-ordinating this support.
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• ‘She manages the Step Up to Social Work programme with grace and integrity’

  21-08-2025 09:40
  
  Our My Brilliant Colleague series invites you to celebrate anyone who has inspired you in your career. It is part of Community Care’s ongoing Choose Social Work campaign, which aims to champion the brilliant work social workers do every day and inspire the next generation of practitioners.
  In this entry, social work academy manager Helen Stanley celebrates Step Up to Social Work manager Charlene Stapleton, whom she describes as a leader who stands out for her “commitment, passion and
  
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• Quarter of children’s services now rated outstanding by Ofsted

  21-08-2025 08:47
  
  A quarter of English councils are now rated outstanding by Ofsted for the overall effectiveness of their children’s services, a Community Care analysis has found.
  As of today, 39 of the 153 authorities (25%) are top graded, with the proportion of outstanding-rated authorities having doubled since 2021, when the figure stood at 13%, according to Ofsted data.
  While the rate had climbed to 20% by March 2024, it has risen significantly since then, with outstanding overall grades awarded to 10
  
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