Overhaul after Baby P tragedy
The Government is set to launch a root-and-branch overhaul of social service departments across England in the wake of the death of Baby P after months of horrific abuse.
The Sunday Telegraph reported that Children’s Secretary Ed Balls and Health Secretary Alan Johnson will this week announce the formation of a new task force to look at every aspect of social work, including leadership,
In an interview with the paper, Mr Balls acknowledged that the changes would be “controversial” but said that he was determined to ensure that the professionals entrusted with child safety carried out their task properly.
Writing separately in the News of the World, the Children’s Secretary said that he wanted to transform the standing of social workers in order to attract “the brightest and the best” into the profession.
Officials have confirmed that ministers wanted to see future chiefs of local authority children’s services gain experience in both schools and social work before they are appointed.
Training schemes will be changed, with more emphasis on “on-the-job” learning and the introduction of a new “qualifying year” in which new staff will get hands-on experience before they qualify fully.
The Sunday Telegraph said that better-performing social workers would also be paid more to work in “tough frontline areas”. “This is not going to be straightforward. It’s going to be controversial. It will mean a change in the way we teach social work and train social workers,” Mr Balls told the paper.
It comes after Haringey social services in north London were severely criticised in a damning report into the death of the 17-month-old Baby P after suffering appalling abuse at the hands of his mother, her boyfriend and her lodger.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) confirmed that the new Government taskforce would be headed by Moira Gibb, the chief executive of Camden Council and a former social worker, and would report to ministers by next summer.
A DCSF spokeswoman said that it would be a “nuts and bolts review” of social work practice. “We know that we have not done enough to support excellence in social work,” she said. “We have been working for a while on a workforce strategy.”
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On 9th Feb 2009 at 08:39 PM VICKY said...
As a teacher,who has worked in a man's prison,secure assessment centre and schools in deprived areas,I have a lot of experience of Social Workers.The majority are good -given the constraints of budgets and heavy case-loads.However,the removal of the Diploma has meant that many older people are unable to commit to 3 years at Uni.Young graduates are bright and idealistic[no-one goes in for the money]but may also be too trusting.The so-called underclass will behave in ways alien to most of us.Basically believe nothing you are told.This is tough as you also need to form a relationship with clients.Older people are more experienced in life.Dare I also say that we need more Social Workers from working class backgrounds?I differentiate between working class and underclass.Iwrote to Ed Balls about this in November -no reply as yet.
On 1st May 2012 at 09:58 AM J D said...
Last Saturday (28/4/2012) my 6year old daughter E-S D spoke of further incident to abuse/harm regarding a bruise below her right knee, which she said was inflicted upon her deliberately. I wouldn't agree to her wish to pull down her jeans, to show me the bruise because we were in a Contact Centre and there were others present. If I raise concern to police/GP/social services, Cafcass, others then I am made out to be the bad person! The incident to Miss. A. (Daily Mail article) & Dr. Hibberd/Channel 4 News highlight the pattern of abuse(s)/failure(s) by social services and I feel helpless and I am at a loss as to know what to do? Radio 4's PM news-item in Jan. 2009 highlighted a Caucasian couple who highlighted their experience of how Social Services controlled and manipulated the courts and that is exactly what I am currently experiencing. My daughter and I have been failed by several lawyers/solicitors, who too have aided the Abuser and failed to produce submit the evidence, witness statement(s) etc. I am being refused help, support, involvement by my MP & Councillior who want to believe Social Services, who are refusing to investigate and look at the evdience & talk to witnesses. Social Services are helping the Abuser, who has absolute control. I feel so helpless... please help, I don't want my daughter to become another Victoria Columbie, 'baby Peter,'... please help?