In the Guardian yesterday:

In a quiet suburb on the outskirts of Copenhagen sits a large white house, set back from the road behind a purple-leaved plum tree. It looks much like the rest of the buildings on the street and there is little outward sign this is Josephine Schneider’s House, considered one of the best children’s homes in the world.

Danish children’s homes are often cited as the gold standard of children’s residential care globally. They are now being studied by the British government as it tries to create a roadmap out of the crisis in which its own children’s home system has become mired.

Last year there were 669 children living in illegal, unregistered children’s homes across England, with councils paying more than £125m of taxpayers’ money to keep them there. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/nov/01/english-childrens-homes-crisis-denmark-care-system-model

There’s not a word of Scotland in the above report.

I don’t doubt the Danish system but I feel sure England could have benefited from a wee look north years ago. SEE:

Horrific, unregulated, and very profitable. The companies prevented from making cash from Scotland’s children in care because of Nicola Sturgeon’s ‘promise’ in 2016

Children’s care homes in places like Rochdale could not just rely on ‘committed people.’ They needed regulation and inspection of the kind Alex Salmond brought to Scotland nearly 20 years ago

Unregistered/illegal/rip-off children’s homes and carers are not found in Scotland due to mandatory registration and active enforcement.

‘The SNP’s childcare proposals build on a sustained, multi‑year expansion with measurable benefits for families’

Children’s social care workers in Scotland to get Living Wage, £1 200 more than in other parts of UK but it’s not being reported – wonder why?

Massive fall in number of children in care as progressive policies work to reduce poverty and as violent crime reduces but, hey, you don’t need to know that do you?