The number of official probes into child abuse, neglect and deaths has dropped sharply since the controversial policy of publishing serious case reviews in full was introduced, an investigation by CYP Now has found.
New figures show that 136 serious case reviews (SCRs) were initiated in England in 2009/10 — an average of 11.3 a month and a figure similar to 2008/09 and 2007/08.
But in the 10 months between 1 April 2010 and 31 January 2011, which includes the first months in which local safeguarding children boards (LSCBs) have been required to publish SCRs in full, just 58 have been initiated - an average of just 5.8 a month. The policy was implemented on 10 June last year. The number of times LSCBs are notifying Ofsted of serious incidents has also fallen.
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