Our Work

We work with children’s services - social care, youth justice, education and health - in England and Wales, with central government departments, and with a wide range of voluntary organisations.

Although our current work reflects the changing themes and concerns in children’s services, our approach and our aims stay the same – to make a real and lasting difference to the lives of vulnerable children.

A discussion paper for the Home Office about the Domestic Abuse Strategy.

A policy paper with practical suggestions for the forthcoming comprehensive strategy required of Government by the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. The main messages are about the need to promote a cross-departmental public health approach to ending domestic abuse; to pay greater attention to the involvement and role of the family justice system; and to provide sufficient funding for the broad range of interventions needed so that those who are responsible for abuse are offered high challenge/high support to change their behaviour whilst ensuring that the safety and well-being of those who are abused, and of children and others close to them, is paramount at all stages.

Jo Tunnard (November 2021) A discussion paper for the Home Office about the Domestic Abuse Strategy. On behalf of CJI, FRG, RiP and RTB.

The FDAC (Family Drug and Alcohol Court) National Unit

In the year to March 2016, RyanTunnardBrown are co-partners of the FDAC National Unit and members of the Unit’s implementation team. The work builds on the previous two years’ development work and is focused on rolling out the model to 11 local authorities in four different areas of England, building up the evidence base of outcomes for parents and children using FDAC and the case for sustainability and value for money, as well as providing advice and support to local authorities and courts working together to develop FDAC in their area.

www.fdac.org.uk

Department for Education, Innovation Programme

Mental health needs of children in custody or secure accommodation - transfer to hospital under the Mental Health Act

Revising the protocol on transfer to hospital under the MHA of young people remanded or sentenced to custody, to align the document with current legislation and the reorganisation of the health service. Plus, developing and writing a new protocol, for the transfer to hospital under the MHA of looked after children placed in secure accommodation.

NHS England

FDAC (Family Drug and Alcohol Court)

During the two years to March 2015, working as part of a core development team supporting the roll out of FDAC beyond London and developing the model so that it can operate within the 26-week time limit for care proceedings and can be used for cases where domestic abuse and/or mental health problems are the precipitating factors for initiating proceedings.

Department for Education

Needs audit of children under 12

An audit of case files of 100 children under 12, drawn from the service areas for looked after children, child protection, and children in need. To supplement the earlier work around vulnerable young people (see entry below), to provide a more complete understanding of the effectiveness of children’s services overall.

London Borough of Croydon

Improving outcomes for vulnerable young people, including those who go missing

Two commissions: the first in relation to children aged 12 or over who go missing from home or care, and the second in relation to young people identified as highly vulnerable. Including a multi-agency audit of need and workshops with the multi-agency team of professionals working with the young people. To improve the Local Safeguarding Board’s understanding of the needs of the children, identify the services available to meet the needs, and use the analytical assessment framework with local practitioners as a tool for assessing the needs of individual young people and developing plans that can be delivered on a multi-agency basis. Many children were identified as being at risk of sexual exploitation and the work helped the Board understand the extent and underlying causes of the problem in their area.

London Borough of Croydon

Adoption Consortium development

A review of the structure and operation of the Consortium, to ensure that its aims were realistic, achievable and challenging enough at a time of considerable scrutiny of adoption services, and to help members establish joint priorities and effective joint commissioning of services.

West London Adoption Consortium

Recruitment of adoptive parents

Assessing the viability of establishing a joint recruitment team across the six local authorities in the North London Adoption Consortium. Including an analysis of recruitment activity in each authority, identification of challenges and opportunities of a joint recruitment team, and a report with recommendations and a proposed action plan for running a joint team as a one-year pilot. Followed by a review of the team eight months into the pilot, with options for the future.

Commissioned by NLAC

Adoption Consortium development

Consultation with members of the Consortium and a review of their current activity, to make a proposal about future development of the Consortium to present to Assistant Directors of the six local authorities and four VAAs involved.

South London Adoption Consortium

Post-adoption support

A scoping review of post-adoption support services across the Consortium of six local authorities, with recommendations for options for achieving greater consistency in the offer of services while maintaining the high standard of support available.

Commissioned by North London Adoption Consortium