Child protection regulation to be swept away

Tuesday, 1 February 2011 12:00 AM

By Alex Stevenson

Rules and targets are to be swept away and replaced with a renewed focus on child protection, a government-commissioned review has found.

Professor Eileen Munro's interim report called on ministers to replace existing bureaucratic requirements with an approach which allows social workers to do the jobs "they came into the profession to do".

Education secretary Michael Gove is considering lifting parts of existing rules for five local authorities, allowing them to complete assessments in their own time.

"Whilst some regulation is needed, we need to reduce it to a small, manageable size," Prof Munro said.

"Professionals should be spending more time with children, asking how they feel, whether they understand why the social worker is involved in their family, and finding out what they want to happen."

Child protection has faced renewed scrutiny since the case of Baby P, a 17-month-old boy who died despite being seen over 60 times by social workers.

Prof Munro has called for an inspection process which moves away from simply being a 'tick-box exercise'.

She wants to see more experienced social workers kept on the frontline and other professionals given easier access to social work advice.

"Professor Munro has identified areas where professionals' time is being wasted and children's needs are not being properly identified," children's minister Tim Loughton said.

"I welcome her approach to getting help to the neediest children and families as early as possible, and recognising that child protection is not just the responsibility of social workers. I look forward to receiving her final recommendations in the spring."

Prof Munro will publish her final recommendations in the spring.

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