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Strong Local Voice, Strong Local ChampionAnnette Brooke, Lib Dem MP for Mid Dorset & North Poole |
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Lord Laming's Progress Report
March 12, 2009 12:00 AM
By Annette Brooke
By Annette Brooke
Annette Brooke (Mid-Dorset and North Poole) (LD): I, too, thank the Secretary of State for providing sight of the Laming report and of his statement. I also add my thanks to Lord Laming for producing this timely report.
We really have to ask today, "Are things going to change?" I recall discussing these issues in 2003 before the Children Act 2004. We all said, "We must have more social workers, more training of social workers and more training in multi-agency working. Six years on, and nine and a half years since the tragic death of Victoria Climbié, it is significant that the first recommendation of Lord Laming's report refers to national leadership, which is quite an indictment after all these years. I might justifiably ask the question, what training will there be for Ministers and senior civil servants in multidisciplinary working?
I welcome today's statement on Doncaster, but reflect on the fact that, since 2004, there have sadly been seven deaths of children. I also welcome the national safeguarding children unit. I have two questions. Will early intervention be an integral part of the work of the unit-which is all important if we look beyond the deaths to the wider issue of child abuse, with so many children being affected-and will serious case reviews be reported through the Select Committee in the way that the NSPCC requested, in a biennial report drawing out lessons from serious case reviews?
Training for children's services directors and lead members is welcome, but what about opposition members? My hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Lynne Featherstone) reported how difficult it is for opposition councillors, and indeed for her, to get information, although they were asking questions. There is a place for considering the role of scrutiny in local government, as well as that of lead members.
I would like what has happened with adult social services to be taken on board in relation to the reorganisation and children's services. We give somebody one and a half jobs, and then put adult social services on the side. Vulnerable children become vulnerable adults, and I understand that 15 authorities are pulling adult social services back, but one at least has a very low rating. Lord Laming has one paragraph on that matter, which should be looked at as a matter of urgency.
There have been a number of U-turns, which I welcome. Most of all, we need to consider the training of social workers and, indeed, of all front-line professionals who come into contact with children-for example, teachers need to be trained to recognise the early signs of child abuse. I want to be reassured that we will no longer hear of heavy case loads for social workers. How can newly trained social workers do their work with heavy case loads and limited supervision? I really feel that we have reached a point where a lot has been done, but there is so much more to do. There has to be genuine commitment.
I also repeat my request to the Secretary of State that, over a longer period, we should have fresh eyes looking at the whole system. Lord Laming set up the system and has reviewed it, but those fresh eyes-perhaps reporting to the national safeguarding children unit, a multidisciplinary team-will, I hope, add to the safety of our children.
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