Devon Safeguarding Digest – August 2025

Welcome to the Devon Safeguarding Digest. This regular update will help you stay up to speed with safeguarding news and local policy changes.

Education Select Committee publishes report on children’s social care

This report highlights serious concerns about the state of children’s social care in England and finds that many of the problems highlighted by the 2022 Independent Review persist.

Major concerns highlighted in the report include, among others, a shortage of suitable placements, workforce pressures (with both vacancies and high turnover), lack of mental health support for children, inconsistent support for care leavers (e.g. with finances, housing, and education), and access to care for families of disabled children.

The select committee makes a number of recommendations, including better funding, stronger early intervention, improved placement sufficiency, more consistent support for care leavers and disabled children, and a National Care Leaver Offer.

Coram calls for action to address significant rise in school exclusions

Coram has responded to new figures published by the Department for Education (DfE). School exclusions in England rose sharply in 2023/24, with suspensions up 21% and permanent exclusions up 16% compared to the previous year. Children with special educational needs (SEN), those on free school meals, and from marginalised groups were disproportionately affected.

New study finds a third of women who died during or within a year of pregnancy were known to children’s social care services

Most of these women had experienced domestic abuse or childhood trauma. The study highlights poor coordination between maternity, mental health, and social care services, leading to fragmented and overwhelming care.

Researchers are calling for urgent reforms, including integrated, holistic care and national policy changes to better support vulnerable mothers.

New study finds minority ethnic and deprived children more likely to die after UK intensive care admission

A UK-wide study has found that minority ethnic children and those from deprived backgrounds are more likely to die or have worse outcomes after admission to paediatric intensive care units compared to white and more affluent children.

Asian children were 52% more likely to die after admission than white children. Children from high-poverty areas had a 13% higher risk of death. These children were more likely to arrive severely ill, stay longer, and be readmitted unexpectedly. Language barriers, discrimination, and limited access to care may contribute to these disparities.

There are suggestions that better coordination between hospitals and community services is needed to address these inequalities.

Children’s Commissioner publishes new report: Growing up in a low-income family: Children’s experiences

In the report, children spoke about lacking basics like food, heating, safe housing, and places to study or play. Many felt excluded by their financial situation. The Children’s Commissioner also called on the government to end the two-child benefit limit.

Education Secretary calls on parents to read more to boost children’s life chances

The UK government is launching a National Year of Reading in 2026 to tackle the decline in reading for pleasure among children. Parents are urged to lead by example. The campaign, backed by schools, libraries, and businesses, aims to boost literacy, wellbeing, and future success, especially for disadvantaged children.

DfE publishes new guidance for schools on relationships, sex and health education for September 2026

The guidance, which will not come into force until Autumn 2026, contains various updates, including more material on misogyny, suicide prevention, loneliness, and gambling, among other topics.

Further support for teachers on teaching the new content will come in advance of September 2026.

Ofsted publishes statistics on children’s social care in England 2025

Some key findings include:

• The children’s social care sector has grown to 5,600 providers, with substantial increases in the number of children’s homes and supported accommodation providers.
• The number of residential special schools has continued to decrease.
• The number of adoption support agencies fell to 29; this was mainly due to the impact of the changes to legislation in 2023.
• Children’s homes continued to get smaller on average.