Ed Balls announcement on child social work – LGA response

Responding to the Working Together guidance announced by Children’s Secretary, Ed Balls, which appears to scrap the costly recommendation from Lord Laming that required every referral from another professional to be followed up by a formal process known as an initial assessment, Cllr Shireen Ritchie, Chair of the LGA Children and Young People board, said:

“It will be a relief for councils up and down the country that the recommendation from Lord Laming surrounding initial assessments appears to have been scrapped. Every right-minded person wants to know everything possible is being done to keep children safe from harm but spending millions on unnecessary bureaucracy could have diverted funds from the front line.

“Only last week the LGA published a report that this recommendation would have cost local authorities £75million which would have had to have been diverted from other child protection duties.

 “Money is an ugly topic to raise when the issue is the safety and interests of children, but it would be irresponsible to pretend social work teams can make major changes to how they operate without there being implications for their workload and resources.

 “There has to be recognition of what dedicated social workers all over the country are dealing with every day, the pressures placed on them and the valuable expertise they can share. It is time to show more trust in our social workers to do the right thing for children. It is time for professionals like the police and health service workers to step up to the mark and show they understand the part they have to play in helping social workers reach the most vulnerable children first.

“The aim now is to find the right way forward, to make services that protect children the best they’ve ever been while properly supporting the people who do this vital work.”