Children’s services in England shaky as Jenga tower, says review lead

Report says system is bureaucratic, risk-averse and in need of reform and investment after years of cuts

The English children's services system is a tower of Jenga held together by Sellotape" and needs major reform and investment, the head of an independent review has found.

Josh MacAlister described the children's social services system as bureaucratic, risk-averse, financially strained and over-focused on investigating potential abuse and neglect at the expense of providing practical support for struggling families.