Safeguarding unit to improve serious case review work

The National Safeguarding Delivery Unit was created to drive forward the government's response to the 58 recommendations outlined in Lord Laming's review of child protection published in March.

Having started work in July the unit has now published its interim report, which sets out progress made so far by the government and 10 programmes undertaken by the unit for 2009/10.

Projects include improving the supply and capacity of professionals able to carry out safeguarding work, identifying gaps in implementing guidance on information sharing, how serious case reviews can result in more effective learning and revising the current set of safeguarding performance indicators in the national indicator set.

The delivery unit will report to the cabinet sub-committee on families, children and young people through a ministerial team made up of the secretaries of state from the Department for Children, Schools and Families, Department of Health, Ministry of Justice and Home Office.

Children's minister Delyth Morgan said: "We are determined to work together across government and with agencies nationally and locally to support people working on the frontline do the very best they can to improve outcomes for children.

"We are already investing in workforce capacity and skills, including those of social workers, health visitors and the police. Sadly, there will always be situations where nothing could have been done to prevent the death of a young person but it is our first duty in government and as a society to make sure we are doing what we can to keep all our children safe."

The work of the delivery unit will be supported by a group of around 100 professionals called the Partnership Network as well as being supported by the chief adviser on the safety of children Roger Singleton.

Meanwhile the government has published the revised inter-agency guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children for consultation and the final version of new guidance for frontline practitioners on Serious Case Reviews.

Also out for consultation is a summary of practice guidance for Local Safeguarding Children Boards.