Minister accepts Munro vision of less red tape

After formally commissioning a comprehensive review of child protection in June last year, the government’s response to Professor Eileen Munro’s report marks an important step in mapping out its future strategy for safeguarding the country’s most vulnerable children.

The document features dates by which its progress can be judged, as well as tackling issues of process such as statutory guidelines and inspections. The government has also attempted to outline how practice should and can be improved (see below).

Also central to the vision for child protection is the strengthening of partnerships between agencies in the face of significant flux.

While providing a broad programme for reform, much of the emphasis is placed on local agencies delivering lasting change that some argue previous attempts have failed to achieve.

Presenting the response, children’s minister Tim Loughton said: “We’re not just tinkering at the edges and fixing short-term problems.

“We are freeing hardworking social workers and other professionals from structures, procedures and rulebooks so they can do their best for vulnerable children and their families.”

While many have been awaiting the response to Munro’s review to be given a clear steer on policy, professionals will have to wait to see if reforms will make their job of protecting children easier.

PROCESS

With the government’s calls for less bureaucracy and central prescription in child protection, it comes as little surprise Munro’s recommendations in this area have been accepted.

Amendments will be made to statutory guidance on timescales and flexibilities, subject to evidence gathered from local authorities that are testing ways of giving social workers more autonomy.

Working Together to Safeguard Children, which currently runs to 393 pages, and The Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families will be fully revised by July 2012.

“Moving away from a culture of compliance by reducing central prescription and placing a greater emphasis on the appropriate exercise of professional judgment represents a fundamental system-wide change,” the government’s response to Munro’s review states.

It is also hoped a new inspection framework will help reduce “tick-box bureaucracy”. Proposals on how new unannounced inspections will work will be included in Ofsted’s forthcoming consultation, but won’t come into effect until May 2012 at the earliest.

Corinne May-Chahal, interim co-chair of The College of Social Work, said: “The likely relaxation of prescriptive timescales for the assessment of children identified as at risk will liberate social workers to use their professional judgment.

“Unnecessary bureaucracy, unhelpful timescales and poor ICT systems are currently an enormous hindrance.”

But others are calling for more immediate action. The Association of Directors of Children’s Services said elements of Munro’s review, including changes to assessment timescales, should be implemented immediately.

PRACTICE

The importance of training is central to Munro’s recommendations and is recognised in the government’s response, which endorses calls to improve the calibre of entrants to the professions and the quality of education they receive.

Another pledge to strengthen local safeguarding children boards (LSCBs) could also see improved training for practitioners across all agencies with the government considering how resources for training should be equally shared among local statutory partners.

Phillip Noyes, director of strategy and development at the NSPCC, said: “There are no quick fixes and the highly skilled workforce needed to improve child protection will require time, commitment and resources.”

The government has also accepted the importance of older children having access to support and help – something campaigners have been calling for.

Munro’s calls for a principal child and family social worker in each local authority are also rubber-stamped.

The future of serious case reviews, however, is less clear. The government said it agreed that a systems-based approach, advocated by Munro, should be used but wanted to give the proposal further consideration.

But the ADCS has criticised this open-ended response, saying serious case review guidance should be amended immediately.

The number of serious case reviews initiated by local authorities fell by 48 per cent in 2010/11 compared with the previous year, prompting concerns that councils are reluctant to initiate reviews since full publication became a requirement in June last year.

PARTNERSHIP

Munro’s call for a new inspection system that examines the experiences of the child and the role of all agencies involved was accepted by the government.

Further work has been initiated to consider how the various inspectorates can work together to achieve this. However no extra cash will be available, leaving the new system to be created “within available resources”.

Another area of focus the government has committed to is improving the role of health in joint working.

It will speak to bodies including the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, the Royal College of General Practitioners, local authorities and others to research the impact of health reorganisation on partnership arrangements.

The Department for Education plans to establish a “co-produced” work programme with the Department of Health to ensure effective safeguarding is central to planned health reforms.

This will, it states, clarify arrangements for partnership working including the relationship between LSCBs and local health and wellbeing boards; outline the NHS contribution to early help; and consider the implications of the new inspection framework for the NHS.

A joint programme of work by the Department of Health, Department for Education, NHS bodies, local authorities, and others will be drawn up by September.

Anne Marie Carrie, chief executive of Barnardo’s, said child protection is everybody’s business. “Strong partnerships between social workers, police, doctors, teachers, parents and neighbours are crucial if these reforms are to be a success,” she said.