Laming proposal could cost authorities £116m

The study, by the University of Loughborough, outlines how much it could cost to implement Lord Laming's 58 proposals to improve child protection.

It warns that recommendation 19, which states that all children referred to social care teams should be given an initial assessment, is too costly to put into practice.

The LGA is calling on government to scrap the proposal, or come up with the extra £116m cash to fund 2,000 additional social workers to carry out the work.

They argue that social workers should be given the power to decide whether or not such an in depth assessment is actually necessary.

The Loughborough research, which questioned 46 local authorities, also found that 63 per cent of social workers have experienced an increase in caseloads over the past six months.

One frontline worker warned that 75 per cent of the working week was spent completing paper work.

Referrals from other agencies are putting additional pressure on already overstretched teams, the research found.

While 76 per cent of children's services departments said the police passed them cases of families involving domestic violence and drug and alcohol misuse, many professionals felt these cases did not meet the threshold for statutory intervention.

Interviews with safeguarding managers revealed difficulties engaging with GPs and health visitors.

Shireen Ritchie, chair of the LGA's children and young people board, said it would be irresponsible to pretend social work teams could make major changes to how they work without being given extra resources.

"Children who are at risk, and families which are struggling, will benefit more from additional time with experienced social workers than they will from an increase in the number of forms filled in about them," she said. "It is time to show more trust in our social workers to do the right thing for children. It is time for professionals like the police and health service workers to step up to the mark and show they understand the part they have to play in helping social workers reach the most vulnerable children first."

Helga Pile, Unison's national officer for social services, said recommendation 19 could cause referral and assessment teams to implode. "Where are we going to find the extra 2,000 social workers needed to implement this measure? Staff shortages are already piling pressure on social work teams, which are struggling with an increase in demand since the baby Peter case," she warned.

"Social workers tell us they already spend too much time dealing with paperwork, leaving them little time left to spend face to face with clients. Cutting the burden of bureaucracy would be a real step in the right direction."

Shadow children's minister Tim Loughton, accused government of strangling social work with red tape.

"Lord Laming's proposals were supposed to improve child protection, instead they have made things worse," he said. "We need to prune back this bureaucracy so that social workers can spend time with children."