Social workers must learn from Hamzah Khan case

The chief executive of The College of Social Work, Annie Hudson, has said a number of tell-tale signs were missed in the case of Hamzah Khan.

A serious case review found that Khan, who was starved to death by his mother, was let down by the agencies that were supposed to protect him.

Khan’s decomposed body was found in his Bradford home in 2011, almost two years after he died.

Commenting on the publishing of the Serious Case Review report, Annie Hudson said: “The Hamzah Khan serious case review brings into sharp focus why there must be strong, joined up and effective systems in place to keep in contact with, and track, children at risk. No child should ever fall off the radar or become invisible, to child protection agencies and society as a whole.

“Several key issues stand out. The report demonstrates powerfully the paramount need to keep sight of children who may be suffering neglect or abuse; the needs of vulnerable parents must never obscure focus on knowing what life is like for children.  Talking and listening to them, as well as observing how their lives are affected, is an essential element of child protection practice.

“This review also reminds us of the devastating impact of domestic violence on children.  Amanda Hutton’s episodic contact with agencies over a number of years, and her resistance to these interventions, created barriers to effective and coordinated work with the family.  Child protection work is always demanding, and practitioners need to be extremely skilful and assertive in challenging parental resistance.  They must be open to fresh and different information, and knowledgeable about the cumulative effect of childhood neglect.

“The College of Social Work will, with others, respond to this review in a number of ways.  First, we will be developing practice guidance on social work in families where there is domestic violence.  Second, we want to ensure that social workers access high quality supervision and support, so that they can perform to the highest professional level.  Finally, we will progress work with other professional organisations so that the very best national practice is implemented across the country.  This work is part and parcel of wider reforms in child protection social work following Professor Munro’s review in 2011.   

“This is a harrowing and distressing report which social workers and others involved in child protection must and will learn from. “