Government adviser Andrew Povey questions efficacy of safeguarding boards, YJB and Cafcass
Ross Watson
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
A government adviser has suggested Local Safeguarding Children Boards and the Youth Justice Board are unnecessary, and that the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) should be scrapped.
In a letter seen by CYP Now, the leader of Surrey County Council, Andrew Povey, made the suggestions to housing minister Grant Shapps about ways that councils can cut red tape. Last week, Povey was appointed to sit on a ministerial advisory group headed up by Education Secretary Michael Gove.
In his letter, Povey backed the government’s decision to remove statutory requirements around children’s trusts, but called for ministers to go even further.
"While the children’s trusts' requirements have been removed, other partnerships remain, including the Local Safeguarding Children Boards and the Youth Justice Board. Each has a mountain of guidance that, I believe, adds little to the eventual outcomes for children and young people," he said.
Povey branded crime and reduction partnerships in every borough and district as "unwieldy", claiming they cause duplication of work for some partners that operate across boroughs. He said that the schools forum is an "unnecessary structure" and called for school budgets to be decided within local cabinet offices.
Cafcass also came under fire in the letter as Povey suggested it should be disbanded, with responsibilities handed to local authorities.
"This would help to ensure a better service to children and parents. This would reduce double handling and help to limit conflict and unnecessary confusion at a challenging time," Povey said. "This would also help with staff retention and workforce development for social workers working with children and young people."
Povey's letter was a response to Shapps' call last month for feedback on what statutory guidance, secondary legislation and regulation should be removed. Further information can be found on the Communities and Local Government website.