Serious child case reviews double

The review looked at social services and the NHS in protecting children

The number of serious case reviews involving children in Wales has doubled, say two assembly watchdogs.

Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) and Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) found 17 cases reviewed in 2007, and 34 in April 2008.

The CSSIW says they are too expensive - they can cost £200,000 each - and often go beyond the six month time limit.

The reports highlight inconsistencies in practice and too much expectation being placed on council social services

The reports in Wales follow the case in London of Peter Connolly - known as Baby P - who had over 50 injuries when he died aged 17 months.

This is despite being well known to social services and having 60 visits from the authorities.

Social workers and a doctor had not raised the alarm or removed him from his abusive home.

The case led to ministerial statement in Wales in November 2008 on safeguarding vulnerable children in Wales.

The three reports by CSSIW and HIW are in response to the ministerial statement.

Patient confidentiality should not be used as a barrier to protecting and safeguarding [children]

Peter Higson, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales

The three reports review the role of local authorities and the local children safeguarding boards, examine the role of serious case reviews - set up to learn lessons after cases of death or serious harm - and also looked at arrangements across Wales' NHS.

There are currently more than 50 serious case reviews ongoing or pending in Wales but the CSSIW found the current arrangements "are not working effectively."

It wants a more flexible system, with lessons learnt quickly and comprehensive reviews reserved for the most serious cases when there are concerns about the interaction between the different agencies.

Local children safeguarding boards were set up in 2006 and include social services, health professionals and police.

But the CSSIW found many of them were "not effectively discharging their functions" while "some agencies, by their non participation, are failing in their duty to co-operate".

It said: "There is a wealth of knowledge and expertise in child protection amongst the professionals and organisations across Wales, yet this is dispersed in such a way that it is not able to maximise the impacts and benefits it could deliver if it was better aligned and organised."

Baby Peter died from abuse despite 60 visits from authorities

The HIW found NHS staff were "generally alert to child protection issues" but that "some staff working in adult services still appear to not accept that they also have a role in child protection".

It also raised concern that "not all staff working in the NHS have been Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checked and that there are inconsistencies in the way CRB checks are undertaken across NHS Wales".

The HIW report makes 26 recommendations including making child protection training mandatory for staff groups, and assessing risks to children if a service user has or may resume contact with children.

'CRB checking'

HIW chief executive Peter Higson said: "The sharing of information and the CRB checking of staff continue to be the biggest issues for the NHS and it is clear that there is still a lot of work to be undertaken in these areas.

"Organisations ... need to understand that the safety and welfare of children and young people is of the utmost importance - patient confidentiality should not be used as a barrier to protecting and safeguarding them."

CSSIW acting chief inspector Jonathan Corbett said the reports "identify where attention and effort now needs to be focused in further strengthening and improving joint working to safeguard and protect children."