Daniel Pelka: Report criticises quality of assessments

Risk assessments carried out by professionals involved with the murdered schoolboy Daniel Pelka were “poor quality”, a report has said.

It also found delays in information-sharing, staffing pressures and a lack of appropriate training across agencies in Coventry.

The four-year-old was beaten to death by his mother and stepfather in 2012.

However, author Jane Wonnacott said she found “a strong commitment” to improving practice.

Social workers, health professionals and police were criticised in a serious case review (SCR) published after Magdalena Luczak and Marius Krezolek were convicted of Daniel’s “horrific” murder.

The latest report set out to answer three questions posed by children and families minister Edward Timpson in light of September’s case review.

It made no new recommendations but found eight areas highlighted by the SCR still required attention.

Independent expert Ms Wonnacott found there had been inconsistencies in record-keeping “due to work pressures within children’s social care including insufficient administrative support”.

Information-sharing between hospital trusts and community health services meant concerns relating to mother Magdalena Luczak’s mental health were not known to health visitors, the report said.

The report also identified pressure on social workers, and a lack of clear management oversight as a reason why core assessments they produced were “poor quality and lacking in detail”.

Amy Weir, independent chair of Coventry Safeguarding Board, said: “While there have been no surprises in this report – the original Serious Case Review identified all these issues – this deeper analysis does provide useful information that will help us make sure our continued monitoring of the progress already made continues to focus in the right areas.”