Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families

@foundationsww.bsky.social

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Generating and championing actionable evidence that improves services to support family relationships - foundations.org.uk.

The image is a group photo of key sector partners after the roundtable discussion, including Sharon Hodgson MP, Minister for Public Health and Prevention, front-and-centre, as well as Dr Jo Casebourne, Chief Executive of Foundations, amongst the small group.
Quote card. “The Reunification Practice Guide comes at a crucial moment when both national policy and local practice are shifting to a focus on supporting families remain together safely, addressing the root causes of the challenges they face, and recognising the importance of continued, wraparound support to both children and their parents. This long-awaited guidance to local authorities is based on the best available evidence as well as conversations with children, parents, foster carers, and professionals, and it will enable senior leaders and practitioners to make sure more children can safely grow up with their parents.” Dr Jo Casebourne, Chief Executive, Foundations.
A static graphic with an oatmeal background. It features bold header text in honey which reads: 'Upcoming webinar', followed by 'Foster Care Practice Guide'. I large teal calendar icon shows the date and time info for the webinar, which reads: Friday 17 July 2026 11:00–12:30 Right at the bottom there is copy that says 'Find out more: foundations.org.uk/events-and-webinars.
Quote graphic featuring a headshot of Harpreet Ahdan, Senior Practice Development Adviser at Foundations. The quote reads: "What I found most encouraging during the development of the Practice Guide was seeing the evidence reinforce what children, families, and practitioners have been telling us for years: that reunification requires planning, preparation, support, and relationship-building long before a child returns home, and continued support after they do."
Practice Guide - Reunification. Key principles to implement evidence-based recommendations.
A static image with an oatmeal background featuring the Foundations logo. Beneath it is title copy which reads: 'Practice Guide, Reunification, Recommendations for senior local authority leaders and practitioners'. Below that in the bottom right-hand corner is a simple illustration/icon for Practice Guide recommendations, i.e. of a person standing beside three ascending 'pillars', the final (and tallest) 'pillar finishes in an arrow which points upwards.
"I think for me the best person to have [catch-ups about how things are going with reunification] would be the social worker, but, again, we had so many social workers, we didn't have a consistent one. If we had an individual contact across somebody who remained with us throughout the process, I think that would have made it a lot easier." Young person
A Foundations branded graphic that reads: UKRI What Works Innovation Fellowship: Tackling violence against women and girls. Foundations - What Works Centre for Children & Families: Domestic abuse fellowship. Closes: 4pm, Tuesday 8 September 2026. Find out more. foundations.org.uk/partner-with-us/funding
A static graphic with an oatmeal background. It features bold header text in honey which reads: 'Upcoming webinar', followed by 'Foster Care Practice Guide'. I large teal calendar icon shows the date and time info for the webinar, which reads: Thursday 2 July 2026 13:00–14:00 Right at the bottom there is copy that says 'Find out more: foundations.org.uk/events-and-webinars.
Drawing of a paper plane next to the writing: Newsletter: Publications, news & events to your inbox.
A static graphic with an oatmeal background. It features bold header text in honey which reads: 'Strengthening support for foster carers', followed by 'Practice Guide webinar sign-up'. More info follows reading: 'Find out more about the Foster Care Practice Guide, and how it can be used to strengthen support for foster carers in your local area.' Two teal calendar icons show date and time info for each of the webinars, which read: Thursday 2 July 2026 13:00–14:00; and Friday 17 July 2026 11:00–12:30. Right at the bottom there is copy that says 'Find out more: foundations.org.uk/events-and-webinars.
A Foundations branded quote card from Senior Policy Adviser Ava Berry that reads: “A confident, skilled, and well-equipped workforce improves the chances that children will receive the support they need, when they need it. The Department for Education has committed to upskilling the workforce response to children and domestic abuse, but we need to understand what works to support practitioners to identify and respond to domestic abuse. Our new programme of work is pivotal to meeting this ambition.”
A Foundations branded graphic that reads: Strengthening the evaluation capacity of By and For organisations.
A Foundations branded graphic that reads: Domestic abuse workforce programmes evidence fund
A Foundations branded graphic that reads: Call for programmes. Domestic abuse workforce programmes evidence fund. Closes: 12pm (midday), Wednesday 5 August. Strengthening the evaluation capacity of By and For organisations: Domestic abuse workforce programmes. Closes: 12pm (midday), Wednesday 19 August. Find out more. foundations.org.uk/partner-with-us/funding
A Foundations-branded quote card from Kecia Painuthara, Evidence & Evaluation Officer: "Choosing the right outcomes and measurement tools is important to accurately understand the difference a service makes. By focusing our evaluations on the outcomes that matter most to children and their families, our framework will help us achieve our vision and mission: to ensure vulnerable children have the relationships they need to thrive."
The image features an illustration of an adult with their back to us, holding a small child in their arms who can be seen over their shoulder. The infant has a headband and bow on their head. Next to this are the words "Infant Mental Health Awareness Week" and the hashtag for social media "#IMHAW26". Below, there is the logo for the awareness week, with the word "Attunement" which is this year's theme. The logo is a blue circle, which contains within in the outline of a bear and a baby. Beside this is the Foundations logo.
Quote card with a cream background and an orange diagonal shape on the right. Features a circular headshot of Donna Molloy, Deputy Chief Executive at Foundations – What Works Centre for Children & Families. The quote reads: "This is an opportunity not only to help young people build life-changing relationships, but also to create strong enough evidence so that support will be there for every child and young person who needs it – ensuring that close, trusted relationships act as a golden thread throughout their lives." The bottom left includes a "Find out more" call to action with the URL foundations.org.uk.
The image features a headshot of Dr Jo Casebourne, the Chief Executive of Foundations - the national What Works Centre for Children & Families. She is wearing a red blouse and black blazer, with a necklace around her neck. Her hair is long and dark brown, and she is wearing red lipstick. Beside the headshot is a quote attributed to her, which reads: “Everyone deserves to grow up with safe, stable, and nurturing relationships. Parents, mentors, teachers, even neighbours – they all make up the tapestry of a support network that enriches a child’s life. But this is something many of us can so easily take for granted.”
A Foundations branded quote card from Rachael Reynolds, Head of Safe & Together at Respect UK: "Respect are excited to roll out Sage & Together to more London local authorities with the support of MOPAC and Foundations. We look forward to partnering with children's services professionals to ensure safe and effective domestic abuse practice for all."
A Foundations-branded quote card, with a quote from Dr Ian Moore, Senior Evidence Officer, & Dr Daryl Sweet, Evidence & Evaluation Officer. The quote reads: "As our children grow, we become increasingly aware of the important and positive role fathers can play in children's lives. But we are also aware that fathers may not always feel that parenting support is designed with them in mind. Across our work, the evidence points in a similar direction: fathers and male carers need to be considered from the start in the design, delivery, and evaluation of family support."
A Foundations branded oatmeal and lilac blue graphic that reads: Call for proposals. Systematic review of interventions and services for fathers and male carers in families with multiple and complex needs. Closes: Midday, Friday 26 June 2026. Find out more. foundations.org.uk/opportunities/funding
What is Safe & Together? Safe & Together is a model which aims to support the workforce to better respond to families affected by domestic abuse, by increasing awareness, knowledge, and understanding.
Call for local authorities: evaluation of Safe & Together London. Closes: 12pm (midday), Monday 8 June 2026. Logos of MOPAC and Foundations.
Quantitative research. The Foster Care Practice Guide draws from 15 studies on both adoptive and foster families, 10 studies on adoptive parents, and 50 studies on foster carers.
Key takeaway 1: It takes a community around the foster carer to raise a child in care with love, stability, and in safety.
A quote card featuring a head and shoulders image of Foundations' Chief Executive Dr Jo Casebourne, who has long stright dark brown hair, light skin, and wears bright red lipstick. Her quote reads: "The launch of the Fostering Innovation Fund marks a positive step toward identifying how we can ensure there are enough foster carers to provide stable, loving homes to children. While the fostering system currently faces many challenges, the renewed focus on building the evidence base presents a great opportunity to strengthen fostering, and ensure all children have the foundational relationships they need to thrive.”
Practice Guide - Foster Care. Key principles.
Practice Guide - Foster Care. Recommendations for senior local authority leaders and practitioners.
A static image with a solid oatmeal coloured background. There is large all caps mild pink text which reads "Foster Care Fortnight", followed by black copy in a different font which reads "#FCF26". To the left of the text, there is a simple illustration of an adult person facing the other way. They have short black hair and are wearing a dark coat. There is a young child with their head on the person’s shoulder. In the child’s hand is a teddy bear, which dangles behind the back of the adult holding the child. The child has closely cropped dark hair. To the right of the text is another simple illustration.This time of a younger teenager and an older or adult person. The young person wears a peak cap backwards over short dark hair, a short-sleeved shirt, knee-length dark shorts and trainers with socks.The adult has very short curly dark hair and is wearing a collared shirt, dark trousers, and white shoes. Foundations’ three-bar ‘momentum’ icon is shown in the bottom right-hand corner.
A static image with a solid oatmeal coloured background. There is large all caps blue text which reads "Foster Care Fortnight", followed by black copy in a different font which reads "#FCF26". To the left of the text, there is a simple illustration of a person with glasses and a checked coat, who has a baby over their shoulder. The baby wears a small bow on its head. To the right of the text is another simple illustration. This time of an adult person with long, loose dark hair kneeling in front of a child with bobbed dark hair, who is standing. The adult as their hands on their child's shoulders in a reassuring pose. Foundations’ three-bar ‘momentum’ icon is shown in the bottom right-hand corner.
The image is features a quote from Dr Jo Casebourne, Chief Executive of Foundations, alongside an image of her face. The quote reads: “The passage of the Children’s Wellbeing & Schools Act last week marks a landmark step in improving the lives of vulnerable children and families. With a new right to Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) now enshrined into law, thousands more children will have the opportunity to stay safely within their family networks.”
News piece: Finding out what works to support children and young people displaying Harmful Sexual Behaviours. Reflections from the National HSB Conference.
Azariah Hope, peer researcher and Family Rights Group advisory panel member: "What is truly captured through Family Group Conferences, and we hope can be embedded systemically, is what family means – when love and practical care are the answer, and when families need to work alongside compassionate accountability from everyone in a child’s life with the support of therapeutic input or other services. An FGC creates a foundation for this – empowering families in understanding their roles and what is in their control in a time that can often feel quite the opposite."
Card with a strong orange background, showing the cover page of the Department for Education’s Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies Guidance on the left-hand side. On the right, a text reads: “New guidance for local authorities. Foundations’ Guidebook, the Practice Guides, and the Family Hubs Planning Framework are included as key resources to support planning and commissioning Best Start Family Hubs and Healthy Babies service. Find out more: foundations.org.uk”
Card reading: Join our kinship care advisory group. We are seeking individuals who can bring lived experience, professional insight, and research expertise to help shape our work on kinship care. Closes: 11:59pm, Tuesday 31 March 2026.
from left to right: Gail Gibbons (YEF), Louise Ashwell (Cordis Bright), Rob Newton (York Council), Jo Flanagan (Foundations), Emma McDonough (Stockport Council)
A card showing a photo of Cathy Ashley, Chief Executive at Family Rights Group, and her quote: “Despite the evidence on the benefits of family group conferences, this groundbreaking research has highlighted that the vast majority of children in need or at risk are not being offered a family group conference, and that those who are disabled, older or from ethnic minorities may be even less likely to be offered one than other children. The findings highlight the urgent need for local and national leaders to address this, in the interests of children and their families, and to the benefit of society and the public purse.”
A card showing an photo of Max Stanford, Managing Director of Research at Coram and author of the report, and his quote: “This is an incredibly timely and important piece of research that points to the need to ensure better access to FGCs for families through improved referrer knowledge and processes, as well as capacity within FGC services to support families throughout the FGC process. It also highlights the need for the collection of national data on FGC access and take up and more research into the barriers and enablers for older children, those with a disability and those from ethnic minority groups.”
A Foundations branded graphic that reads: "An estimated 86% of local authorities have, or are developing, an FGC service". On the right hand side is a pie chart with two segments. The larger represents the proportion of local authorities with, or developing, an FGC service.
A Foundations branded orange and oatmeal quote card from Foundations' Chief Executive, Dr Jo Casebourne: “Our new report has clear findings: if we want Family Group Conferences to reach every family who could benefit, we need to support local authority practice, improve access for minoritised families, and ensure every parent can give genuinely informed consent. As the new statutory duty comes into force, our report aims to ensure that more families can take part in FGCs to make informed decisions about their child’s future.”
A quote card featuring an image of, and quote from, UKRI Policy Fellow Dr Alison McKinlay. Alison has light skin and straight light-brown hair that falls to just below her shoulders. It is styled with a fringe. She is wearing a white collared button-up shirt. Her quote says: “I’m excited to take up this new position as UKRI Policy Fellow with Foundations, and contribute to building a long-term, trauma- informed evidence base for children and families. One of the many highlights for me will be working closely with practitioners, commissioners and people with lived experience to co-produce practical tools that make a real difference in everyday decision-making."
A Foundations branded quote card from Adam Warner, Changemakers Local Evidence Lead, Merton Council: "Through Changemakers, Merton has gone on a transformational journey of embedding evidence leadership. We have been able to re-configure and adapt our parenting interventions over the life of the programme, demonstrating innovative new ways of engaging families in evidence-based interventions. We have adopted key tools and continue to build a legacy for utilising research and evidence in practice. We have created a more streamlined and tailored package of support for families and have seen an increase in outreach and referrals as a result. "
A Foundations branded graphic with a solid Teal background. It features an image of the front cover of the Children's Social Care National Framework (statutory guidance) dated March 2026. The copy to the right reads: "Inside today’s Children’s Social Care National Framework update: Local authorities should look to Practice Guides for the latest evidence to help them achieve the outcomes set out in the National Framework. Practice Guides provide a high-quality deep dive into the best available evidence of ‘what works’ in improving service design and delivering better outcomes for children and families.” The URL foundations.org.uk is included.
Graphic reading: Call for proposals. Systematic review of edge of care and family preservation interventions. Closes: 12:00pm (noon), Friday 10 April 2026.