Let's start with the good. She offers a detailed and expert critique of what is wrong with the current child protection system and what can be done to help put it right. It is the first review of child protection that has not been carried out in the immediate aftermath of a crisis, and it is not searching for ever more precise procedural solutions to complex and varied problems. Instead, Professor Munro has quite rightly sought solutions in a "systems approach" that encourages people to seek out the underlying causes of problems.
Most practitioners would agree that child protection has been dogged by an over-dependence on prescribed process. Too many beleaguered professionals depend upon manuals and rule books. This is unhealthy and counter-productive. Any profession that does not allow space for judgment undermines the skills and aptitudes on which it should thrive. When there are too many rules, following the rules becomes a substitute for doing what's best. Under these conditions organisations don't learn - they obey.
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