In a question and answer session following Morgan’s main address at the National Children and Adult Services Conference in Manchester on Thursday, Ian Thomas, director of children’s services at Derbyshire Council, said it was unfair to single out social work.
Addressing Morgan directly, Thomas said: “You mention social work is synonymous with failings of local authorities like Rotherham, but it is not social work alone that protects children.
“I was just struck by the fact there was an absence of the police mentioned in your speech, who failed the children of Rotherham and other places where these crimes have taken place.
“The quicker we can start talking about systems-wide solutions the better it’ll be for the whole sector.”
Thomas was responding to comments made by Morgan earlier that the sector “must respond with determination to understand what went wrong” in recent high-profile abuse cases “to make the children’s social care system what we know it can be”.
She added: “Let us resolve today for Rotherham to be the moment this changed once and for all. Let’s make this the moment we faced up to what needs to be done and enact a sea change in the way social work is seen in this country.”
But in response to Thomas’s comments, which were roundly applauded, she admitted child protection “is not just down to social workers”.
“I don’t underestimate the role of the police and nor does the Home Secretary,” she added.
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