Goverment minister shadows Stockport children’s social workers

Tim Loughton, Minister for Children & Families, spent a week with Stockport Council’s children’s social care teams.

The Minister shadowed front line social workers in their daily meetings and visits, to get more of a feel for the complex nature of today’s child protection services in a busy metropolitan local authority.

Mr Loughton said: “Social workers make a positive difference.  I have seen at first hand the challenging and demanding work that social workers do every day in Stockport.  I’d like to thank everyone who made my week possible – it was a real privilege to work with the team.

“I’m determined to put a stop to unnecessary bureaucracy and targets.  I want to give the social work profession more support and greater freedom so they can spend more time with the children and families who need them,” he added.

The Minister heard that social workers liaise closely with other agencies such as the Police, and that they intervene quickly in the interests of children to ensure their safety. They try to place children with extended family members rather than with foster carers.

As well as visiting family homes with social work staff, the Minister attended a legal planning meeting. He witnessed the careful analysis and balancing act needed and was advised by a Council childcare solicitor that a decision to remove a child from a family is never taken lightly.

He attended a joint strategy discussion with Greater Manchester Police and social workers involving an anonymous referral of alleged neglect and physical abuse.

The Minister also attended a Local Children Safeguarding Board meeting, and visited Mosaic, the young people’s drug and alcohol service where he sat in on a ‘Think Family’ session.

Mr Loughton gained a valuable insight into the Adoption panel and benefited from meeting children’s services’ managers to hear their views on successes and challenges to come.

Councillor Mark Weldon, Executive Member for Children & Young People, said: “We are very pleased that a Government Minister chose to spend a week in Stockport when we could demonstrate our excellent children’s services. The Council has one of the lowest social work vacancy rates of any local authority in the North West – there is currently one vacancy – and the Adoption and Fostering service are both currently rated “outstanding” by Ofsted.”

Dominic Tumelty, Head of Service, said he was delighted to host the Minister: “This was an excellent opportunity to show how proud we are of social workers in Stockport and to demonstrate the complex and arduous role they have in analysing family situations, finding solutions for children to maintain their safety and maximising their potential.”