Information provided by children's minister Edward Timpson in response to a parliamentary question posed by Labour MP Emma Lewell-Buck reveals that a total of 12 councils were given permission to be exempted from certain statutory guidance requirements in recent years.
The temporary suspensions from statutory Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance were granted to selected councils by then Education Secretary Michael Gove following recommendations in Eileen Munro's review of the child protection system, which concluded that bureaucracy was preventing social workers from doing their jobs.
The government is currently pushing for councils to be allowed to apply for exemptions from children's social care legislation. Critics of the plans say the revelations highlight the risks of allowing councils to opt out of their obligations.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
