Returning a child home to their family following a stay in local authority care can be a time of great change for both the child and their family.
The learning from case reviews highlights the need for professionals to thoroughly assess risk, protective factors and parental capacity, make clear preparations for the return, and share information with professionals working in other agencies. They also need to provide support for the child and familiy and continue to monitor the child’s safety and wellbeing before, during and after the return.
This briefing is based on a sample of case reviews published between 2016 and 2023 which have highlighted lessons for returning children home from care.
Our series of thematic briefings highlight the learning from case reviews conducted when a child dies, or is seriously harmed, as a result of abuse or neglect. Each briefing focuses on a different topic or learning for specific sectors, pulling together key risk factors and practice recommendations.
We work with local safeguarding partners to ensure that learning from case reviews can be accessed and shared at a local, regional and national level.
Find out how you can apply the lessons from case reviews and improve your practice to help protect children and young people.
Browse through our list of child safeguarding practice reviews, serious case reviews, significant case reviews and child practice reviews which were added to the National case review repository in the last five years.
Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter alerting you to the case reviews we have added to the National collection of case reviews repository at the NSPCC.
A tool to support social worker's professional judgment about if and how a child should return home.
Explores the data and statistics available about looked after children, their experiences while in care and their outcomes to help professionals make evidence-based decisions.
Summarises findings from the independent review of children’s social care, The case for change, and looks at the needs, experiences and outcomes of children supported by social care in England.
