The story behind England’s crisis in children’s social services - Uncovered podcast

The recent case of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, who was murdered by his father and step mother in Solihull, has broken hearts across the country, and prompted a wave of public anger and revulsion at the suffering he endured.
We explain the issues behind the crisis in children’s social care in the latest episode of Uncovered (Image: Kim Mogg)We explain the issues behind the crisis in children’s social care in the latest episode of Uncovered (Image: Kim Mogg)
We explain the issues behind the crisis in children’s social care in the latest episode of Uncovered (Image: Kim Mogg)

Social workers, children’s charities and councils have been warning for several years about a crisis brewing in children’s social care in England, with repeated calls for action to protect children.

NationalWorld’s data and investigations editor Harriet Clugston has been looking into the huge funding gaps in the sector, and she explains what she has found in the latest episode of our Uncovered podcast

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Harriet hears from to Marcus Johns of the Institute of Public Policy North about how they have found that austerity fell on the north of England hardest, making a significant difference for the life chances of children there.

Also on this episode, Dr Paul Shuttleworth, a researcher and professional social worker from the British Association of Social Workers, talks about the vicious cycle facing the sector, the strain that social workers themselves are under, and why they need more time and resources to dedicate to the children they work with.

You can listen to the podcast in full below, and subscribe on any platform, including Apple and Spotify.

Loading....

Uncovered goes behind the headlines to give you an in-depth look at the stories that matter. On each episode Kelly Crichton is joined by the NationalWorld reporters who are working to bring information to light and hold those in power accountable.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Uncovered reveals the journalistic work that goes into the team’s investigations, and highlights important stories we think you need to know about but have gone uncovered in the wider media.

A message from the editor:

Thank you for reading. NationalWorld is a new national news brand, produced by a team of journalists, editors, video producers and designers who live and work across the UK. Find out more about who’s who in the team, and our editorial values. We want to start a community among our readers, so please follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and keep the conversation going. You can also sign up to our email newsletters and get a curated selection of our best reads to your inbox every day.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.