A third of looked-after young people felt they had no choice about when to leave their placement, despite being part of a government scheme to promote staying on in care, a research report has revealed.

Surrey County Council is to roll out an application for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet to 20 social workers in a trial that aims to help them spend more time with members of the community.

An information-sharing system set up to protect children from abuse after the death of Victoria Climbié could be extended because of the government’s controversial welfare reforms.

Ex-children’s services director Sharon Shoesmith says she is “thrilled” to have won a Court of Appeal battle over her sacking after Baby Peter’s death.

Sharon Shoesmith has won her bid for compensation after she was sacked following the Baby P scandal. The Telegraph’s Caroline Gammell followed the case from the beginning. Here she describes why Shoesmith will be forever tainted.

Sharon Shoesmith’s lengthy legal fight against her sacking could leave taxpayers facing a hefty bill, campaigners warned.

The government’s NHS reforms could weaken child protection arrangements and damage the health of children in care, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has warned.

A third of councils either no longer have a director of children’s services (DCS) or are planning to change the role, research has revealed.

A quarter of NHS hospitals visited by the health watchdog are failing even to provide basic standards of care for elderly people.

More than 23,000 sex offences against children were logged by police in England and Wales last year, according to research by the NSPCC.