What's happened to follow up the recommendations in the Laming review? Lord Laming's progress report on the child protection system in England was published in March 2009. Almost one-fifth of its 58 recommendations relate to serious case reviews (SCRs). The 2006 version of the cross-government guidance, Working Together to Safeguard Children, sets out the purpose of and processes for undertaking a SCR, and many of the recommendations in the Laming review refer back to that guidance, suggesting that the SCR chapter in particular needs an urgent rewrite. The redrafted chapter eight of the guidance is now out for consultation.
What is a serious case review? SCRs are reviews of cases where the abuse or neglect of a child is known or suspected, the child has suffered serious harm or has died, and where there is reason for concern about the way in which agencies, their representatives or other professionals have been involved in that case.
Are they there to prove guilt? No, that's for the courts. Local safeguarding children boards (LSCBs) are required to undertake SCRs in order to learn from them and improve safeguarding work at both an individual and organisational level. Anyone may refer a case to the LSCB if they believe there are lessons to be learned from it. At a national level, Ofsted evaluates all SCRs. The Department for Children, Schools and Families is responsible for identifying common themes and key findings from across the review reports and using these to inform policy and practice.
Who is involved? The LSCB chair has to decide whether a case meets the criteria for a SCR. The criteria are laid out in chapter eight of the Working Together guidance. A SCR panel, which includes representatives from children's social care, health, education, the police and others as appropriate, meets to consider that decision and to devise the scope and terms of reference for the review. The panel informs the chair of its recommendation, and the chair makes the final decision to either conduct or not conduct a SCR. All of this should happen within a month. The chair must notify Ofsted of its decision.
Normally, the review should be completed within six months from the date of the decision to proceed. The different agencies involved in the SCR should undertake an individual management review before the completion date for the LSCB overview report.
What sorts of things would they consider? That depends on the circumstances of the case. For instance, what information will they need and from whom in order to identify the learning arising from this particular case? How far back in the life of that child do they need to go to understand what happened? Did the child have a disability, or are there cultural issues to bear in mind? Are there sensitivities regarding the disclosure of information, especially where third parties are involved?
Will the rest of Working Together be updated? It's due to be out for consultation in October. The government has also said that it will respond to the SCR consultation later this year.
FACT FILE
- Serious case reviews (SCRs) are meant to be a learning exercise with specific, achievable and measurable proposals for change
- In 2007/08, Ofsted evaluated 98 SCRs, 38 of which were judged inadequate
- Responses due by 23 October
