Northumberland Council employs extra staff following Baby P’s death

EXTRA staff is to be employed by a council to deal with the extra workload following a review into the death of Baby Peter in London. Northumberland County Council is to recruit an additional three social workers and another solicitor to the social services department.

The move is being made following Lord Laming’s Review into the Protection of Children in England after the tragic death of Baby Peter and the ensuing fall-out at Haringey Council.

A total of 58 recommendations and additional actions were included in the review, which went to every council in the country, with Northumberland and its partners putting in place measures to implement them.

Members of the council’s family and children’s services overview and scrutiny committee were told that the changes would be included in the Every Child Matters scheme.

Trevor Doughty, executive director of people, told the committee: “We have had a rise in workload post Baby Peter.

“We believe we needed an extra three social workers to maintain the workload and an extra solicitor to deal with the extra child care work we are experiencing.

“These are challenging financial times for the council but because of the importance of this, it will mean stop doing something else to resource this from existing budgets this year and the council will have to consider this with other budgetary pressures when setting the budget for next year.”

He added: “In terms of national recruitment, recent events I don’t think have made social work more attractive for potential staff but I can reassure members we don’t have an acute problem with attracting staff but it’s something we’re vigilant about.”

A report to the committee said the cost of the three social workers and solicitor would be £143,409 for 2009/10.

Mr Doughty added that there were other key changes being implemented.

“All referrals from another professional must be followed up with an assessment by a qualified social worker,” he said. “All referrals must be responded to in writing.”

Among the broader issues raised were the need for a National Safeguarding Delivery Unit, which will be operational next month.

As part of that, Northumberland will have a Safeguarding Children’s Board, which as it needs an independent chair, will be chaired by a representative from Gateshead Council – the only other four star authority for safeguarding in the north east – said Mr Doughty.

Coun Lesley Rickerby, executive member for children’s services, said: “We wouldn’t want to be sitting here discussing this in an ideal world but we are because of things that have happened in the past.

“The Lord Laming recommendations are going to put pressure and extra work load on our staff, that’s why we feel justified in supporting the extra workers and legal officer.”