Welcome to our Research and Report Briefings page, which contains short summaries of recently published research findings and other reports useful for practitioners working with children and families. These briefings help you easily access key information about current topics with a link to the full published report. They are listed under headings of the main relevant discipline or practice area.
June 2026
The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning, and our latest briefing summarises government guidance on Staying Safe in Hot Weather.
The briefing explains how hot weather affects health, including those at greatest risk of being most seriously affected, and summarises advice on how to prevent the damaging effects of the heat. It also covers safe swimming, to address concerns about the potential for water-related deaths as people try to cool off by swimming in lakes and rivers. Babies and young children are at greater risk of adverse effects from extreme heat and, as a result of the last extreme heat event in 2022, it is estimated that 2800 people aged over 65 years died. It is important therefore to understand how the health can affect the health of people of all ages, and the steps we can take to stay well during extreme heat.
Previous briefings
May 2026 – Children’s Social Care National Framework
This briefing highlights changes to the Children’s Social Care National Framework which was updated by the Department for Education in March 2026, with further information being added in May 2026.
The National Framework underpins the vision for reforms to the children’s social care system. It sets expectations for practice and should be used by all agencies. This briefing also brings together the different sources of support which the Department for Education are promoting to help embed the Framework, these include the Children’s Social Care Dashboard, and Practice Guides, published by Foundations – What Works Centre for Children and Families.
April 2026 – Delivering Effective Services – How to use Evidence to Improve Outcomes for Children and Families
This briefing summarises recently updated guidance from the Department for Education Families First Partnership Programme. The guidance emphasises the importance of using evidence-based approaches to improve outcomes for children, young people and families. It explains what the term ‘evidence based interventions’ means and highlights where local authorities and partner agencies can find resources and information on the most effective ways to support children and families.
March 2026 – Revised Guidance – Working Together to Safeguard Children and Families First Partnership Programme
This briefing summarises the changes introduced by recent revisions to the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children and the Families First Partnership Programme.
February 2026 – Consultation on Proposed Reforms to SEND
This briefing provides an overview of the government’s proposed reforms to provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The consultation closes on 18 May 2026, and proposed reforms are intended improve outcomes for children and young people by providing early, fair support, with accountabilities shared across local partners
January 2026 – Mental Health Act 2025 – the Mental Health Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025. The Act will reform the Mental Health Act 1983, and implements reforms proposed by Sir Simon Wessely in his Independent Review of the Mental Health Act in 2018. The briefing provides an overview of the guiding principles contained in the new Act, and some of the main changes it will introduce.
December 2025 – Operation Encompass: Duty of Police Forces to Notify Education Establishments of Domestic Abuse Incidents
This briefing is a summary of the statutory guidance Duty on Police Forces in England and Wales to Notify Education Establishments of Domestic Abuse Incidents: Operation Encompass, published by the Home Office in November 2025.Operation Encompass is an information-sharing scheme between the police and relevant educational settings. It requires police forces in England and Wales to notify educational settings and – where relevant – local authorities about domestic abuse incidents they attend.
September 2025 – Use of Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Safeguarding and Social Care
This briefing looks at ways in which AI is being used in social care and safeguarding services including how it has the potential to improve efficiency, reduce costs, enhance decision-making and provide better services. The briefing also outlines some of the key risks (around issues such as consent, confidentiality and reliability for example) which must be considered before introducing AI.
July 2025 – Accessibility and PDFs
This briefing – for both the children’s and adults sectors – summarises the regulations about making websites accessible and government guidance about the use of PDFs.
June 2025 – National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse,
This briefing summarises the audit conducted by Baroness Casey – published in June 2025.
May 2025 – Ofcom Statement: Protecting Children from Harms Online,
This briefing summarises the Ofcom statement regarding increased measures to protect children from online harms.
March 2025 – Proposed Legal Changes to Reporting Child Abuse
This briefing outlines proposed changes in legislation which will make reporting of child sexual abuse mandatory for practitioners.
