Speaking at a Westminster Education Forum seminar on child protection, Laming told delegates that children’s services agencies must improve joint-working practices before claiming that they need more cash.
"To say the problems, shortcomings and difficulties we face are down to a lack of resources, that might be so," he said. "But we can’t make that claim until we are satisfied that we are using the resources we already have to the greatest possible effect. I remain fairly unconvinced sometimes about that."
Laming added that professionals who do not embrace partnership working should seek out another career.
"Staff in this day and age who are either unable or unwilling to work effectively across organisational boundaries and communicate well with the other disciplines – frankly, they’re not suited for this work," he explained.
"Whether they’re GPs or health visitors, or whatever they are in the sector of services dealing with children, they must be trained and taught how to work effectively across organisational boundaries."
Laming also warned that professionals must have high aspirations of the degree to which they can protect children and young people.
"People have said to me that adults will go on damaging and killing children," he said. "If we sanguinely accept all of that, frankly, we might as well go home."
