East Midlands Child-Help Service Is Under Fire

The social work service which provides help for Derbyshire people in family court proceedings is inadequate, according to Government inspectors.

A report on the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service in the East Midlands has been published by the Office for Standards in Education.

The most serious failing was the lack of consistency in looking after the interests of some children and young people.

Inspectors found an unacceptable number of instances where they could not be sure that a child’s safety or welfare was being safeguarded.

Recommendations for improvements include better case planning and an audit of work to ensure quality assurance.

Two-thirds of the people using the service, both adults and children, reported that they were mostly satisfied with the experience. But a significant minority was dissatisfied.

The report does reveal some service strengths, including the allocation of cases promptly, a good relationship with its statutory and voluntary partners, and sound finances.

Christine Gilbert, Chief Inspector for Education, Children’s Services and Skills, said: “Ten recommendations have been made to help ensure that services improve.”