Moray child protection service in better shape

MONTHLY audits into child protection investigations at Moray Council and the addition of eight more social workers have improved the local authority’s service after a damning inspection last year, according to a report.

Positive changes in risk assessment and management in child protection services are highlighted in the report which will be put before the council’s children and young people’s services committee on Wednesday.

Scottish Government inspectors painted a bleak picture of the council’s ability to look after vulnerable children in a report in February last year, rating as weak 10 out of 18 aspects of the service.

Criticisms included “significant delays” in the identification and investigation of suspected abuse, while information-sharing between agencies was branded unsatisfactory. Council depute convener Allan Wright has previously said that an action plan drawn up to address the problems has been a success.

The committee will consider the report just days after a £1million child-protection unit in Elgin was given planning permission by the council. The Hamilton Drive unit is expected to open by spring 2011.

It is a joint venture between the council, Grampian Police and NHS Grampian.

The report, written by community services director Sandy Riddell, states that monthly audits of child protection inquiries and investigations are now done by the casework services manager and eight more social workers have been appointed.

A risk assessment aide memoire has been prepared and is used by social work teams, the report states.

The process for child protection orders has now been agreed with legal services and incorporated into child protection procedures and a new multi-agency child-protection unit is conducting most of the child investigation inquiries.

Mr Riddell, as community services director, and the child protection practice group, intend to lead audits into the quality of recording and risk assessments in child protection investigations.

Area social work managers, the multi-agency unit and family protection unit staff will continue conducting joint investigations, the report states.

The review of the changes since the HM Inspectorate of Education criticised child protection services last year is part of a wider report on a follow-up performance in inspection of services in Moray by the Social Work Inspection Agency. Overall, it concludes the council has made good progress.