Councils intervene earlier to take children into care

The research questioned more than 200 Cafcass guardians in relation to 247 care applications, involving 401 children. Cafcass conducted a similar study in the wake of the Baby Peter case in 2009.

The latest report found that local authorities are making care applications at an earlier stage of their involvement with children.

In the 2009 study, only 11.5 per cent of children subject to a care application had never previously been involved with children’s services, but that figure has now risen to 19.8 per cent.

In the first study, 36.1 per cent of children subject to a care application had been continuously involved with children’s services for more than five years. The latest research shows this figure now stands at 9.1 per cent.

Meanwhile, Cafcass has published figures on the number of care applications made by each local authority over the past five years.

The statistics show wide variations in the number of children taken into care, with South Tyneside Council making the most care applications in the past year, at a rate of 30.1 applications for every 10,000 children.

The Isles of Scilly made no care applications, while Rutland council made 2.2 per 10,000 children and the London Borough of Richmond made 2.4.

In 2011/12, the number of care applications topped 10,000 for the first time. But overall, the number of care applications during the year either decreased or stayed stable in 53 local authorities. 

Anthony Douglas, chief executive of Cafcass, said the study gives encouraging signs that court applications to protect children are being made in a more timely way than previously.

“After the panic that came with the Baby Peter media storm, the intensive reviewing by local authorities of cases has paid off for children: the intervention they need is coming earlier and cases are drifting less,” he said.

Debbie Jones, president of the Association of Directors of Children’s Services, argued that rapid improvements that have been made in child protection since 2009.

“These improvements have happened at a time when the number of care proceeding applications have continued to rise, showing that local authorities are working hard to improve quality in the face of reduced resources and increased demand,” she said.

“There is no room for complacency however, with some cases still arriving at court unprepared or too late, and local authorities will be working closely with the family justice system, Cafcass and social work educators to underline the importance of swift and appropriate decision making and the skills required to give evidence to the court.”

But Cathy Ashley, chief executive of the charity Family Rights Group, said more must be done to support families before they get to the point where their children are taken into care.

“In some cases taking a child into care is the right action, reflecting the severity of abuse the child is at risk of suffering,” she said.

“But we know from research and the increasing number of calls to our advice service, that often families have been crying out for help before situations escalate, and that cuts to key early intervention and preventative services, such as refuge places for abused mothers, are putting more children at risk.”