Lord Laming's inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie has made more than 100 recommendations for change in childcare to prevent a repeat of this tragic case. He said 46 should be implemented within three months, 38 within six months and the rest within two years. The report's key recommendations are:
a new National Agency for Children and Families to ensure police, health and housing services can carry out their duties effectively and efficiently the chief executive of the agency could take on the functions of a children's commissioner for England and the agency should report to a ministerial committee for children's services the agency should scrutinise new laws, ensure policy is implemented and could carry out serious case reviews each local authority should have a committee for children and families with members from the police authority, council and health service trusts the committee would oversee the work of a management board for services to children and families, which would be made up of senior members of the police, social services, health, education, housing and probation services  Laming: wants sweeping changes |
the management board must report to the committee and in turn the committee report to the national agency the government should consider setting up a national children's database recording contact between a child under 16 and a member of the key services the government needs to issue guidance on information sharing in relation to the Data Protection Act a single document outlining common language for all agencies, gives a step-by-step guide on managing a case, and replaces the current child protection register social services directors need to ensure staff have appropriate training and no case involving a vulnerable child should be closed until the youngster and his or her carer have been spoken to and seen senior managers should randomly inspect case files and social workers should check information from all child protection agencies before doing home visits allegations must be swiftly followed up and specialist services must be available 24 hours a day doctors who suspect a child is being harmed should consider taking an account from the youngster directly even without the carer's consent  Victoria's parents are scrutinising the report |
the police must ensure crimes against children are given as much importance as those against adults and child protection teams are fully integrated into the force chief constables should review police child protection units chief executives of local health services and local authorities should consider their duties towards vulnerable children new social work degrees should be introduced shorter, clearer guidance for one million professional staff dealing with protecting children police, health and social services have three-month deadlines to improve basic practice Children's Trusts to draw together local services for youngsters in a single organisation 
E-mail this story to a friend
