Speaking at the North of England Education Conference in Chester yesterday, Together for Children's Liz Railton described safeguarding systems as "fragile and complex."
She said the most robust inspections can only offer safeguarding teams "bills of health with a very short shelf life" because services are vulnerable to factors such as staff changes.
Systems are so unstable that safeguarding services in local authorities could deteriotate from being excellent to inadequate in just three to six months, she claimed.
She urged children's services leaders to be more vigilant and to go beyond simply establishing systems and "ticking off recommendations".
She also said social workers should have more direct contact with children and families because inquiries into child deaths "frequently expose the lack of direct contact with and observation of the child who is at risk".
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