Child protection in Devon shows ‘systematic weaknesses’ – report

CHILDREN are exposed to unnecessary risk and harm because of “systemic weaknesses” in Devon’s child protection services, inspectors say.
An OFSTED report into the performance of the services found them to have failed in all four areas.

The overall effectiveness of the services, the level of help offered to young people and their families, the quality of practice and leadership and governance – were all deemed inadequate, meaning that they do not meet the minimum requirements set out by the body.

Devon has about 141,000 children and young people aged 0 to 17 within the authority, making up around 19% of the population – a proportion which is lower than both the regional and national averages.

However, council leaders say they have seen an increase in the number of applications to take children into care in recent years.

At the time of the inspection, over 5,000 children were in receipt of a social services, of which 450 children were subject to child protection plans and 684 were in care.

Since the damning report was accepted by Devon County Council, social services bosses have been criticised further for failing to attend meetings to discuss the failings.

Jennie Stephens, Devon’s £130,000-a-year strategic director for people, apologised after missing a county scrutiny meeting where the report was discussed, and no-one represented the department at a Mid Devon District Council meeting last Monday when protection of children in the district was on the agenda.

The head of Child and Adult Protection, Rory McCallum, said: “Other senior social services officers were present, as was the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services.”

“We treat this matter so seriously that the Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, Will Mumford, is asking for time at the next meeting of the Devon district council leaders and chief executives for him and a senior officer to explain to them exactly what the county is doing and to enlist their help in making the improvements we need.”

Both Will Mumford and Jennie Stephens, did not challenge the report, but pointed out that inspectors acknowledged they were already making improvements to services in line with Government guidance before their unannounced visit, and that these changes have not yet had time to bear fruit.

The county council has developed a detailed improvement plan which is currently awaiting formal sign-off by the Department for Education.