CYP Now - Trowler firm made £2.9m from DfE contracts, probe finds

A consultancy firm that was co-owned by Isabelle Trowler prior to her becoming chief social worker for children has won government contracts worth nearly £3m since her appointment, a probe has found.

An investigation by the National Audit Office (NAO) found that Trowler stood down as a director of Morning Lane Associates and sold her shares in the organisation prior to taking up her new post in September 2013.

Morning Lane, which did not have any government contracts at the time of Trowler standing down, subsequently secured four Department for Education contracts, two as part of consortia involving other organisations, worth a total of £2.9m.

Although she did not take decisions relating to the award of contracts, Trowler, who the report states had a "close and personal" relationship with the sole remaining director at Morning Lane, was involved in discussions that resulted in a £1.2m contract extension in relation to work on the social work accreditation system that the firm benefitted from.

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