The report's approach promises to cut down on countless rules, regulations, procedures and targets and the resultant culture of blame and back-covering that has poisoned the child protection system and demoralised a workforce. In its place, over time, should emerge a system that invests more trust in children's professionals to make good judgments that fit particular circumstances.
Munro has shown some cunning in calling on government to accept all her recommendations and not to "cherry-pick". If it does the latter, its response will be seen as something of a defiance of the report.
But recommendation 10 - to place a duty on local agencies to secure sufficient "early help" services for families - is likely to get short shrift. Despite consistent rhetoric in support of early intervention services to prevent families from reaching thresholds for social care, the government's mantra of local freedom seems to trump all other considerations.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
