Government revises serious case review guidance

The move follows concerns raised last year by the National Panel of Independent Experts on Serious Case Reviews about decisions taken over whether or not to initiate serious case reviews (SCRs).

The panel said many local safeguarding children boards (LSCBs) were choosing not to conduct an SCR when one would have been appropriate due to concerns over the impact it would have on costs and workloads.

Currently, an SCR must be undertaken if abuse or neglect of a child is known or suspected; and, either the child has died; or the child has been seriously harmed and there is cause for concern as to the way in which the authority, local agencies or other relevant persons have worked together to safeguard the child.

Proposed changes to Working Together to Safeguard Children, which was last revised in 2013, include the introduction of examples of the type of circumstances that should lead to an SCR being carried out after a child experiences “serious harm”.

It states that “serious harm” could include cases where a child has, as a result of abuse or neglect, suffered:

• A potentially life-threatening injury
• A serious impairment at the time of the incident, or long-term impairment of physical or mental health, or physical, intellectual, emotional, social or behavioural development

The revised guidance also includes details of when incidents should be notified to Ofsted, something that is not currently included in existing guidance, although details had previously been set out in a circular sent out to local authorities in 2007.

“It has become clear over time that local authorities are unclear both about the requirement to notify and what constitutes a notifiable incident,” the consultation document for the revised guidance states.

The revised guidance states that Ofsted should be notified regarding incidents where a child has died and abuse or neglect is suspected, a child has been seriously harmed and abuse or neglect is suspected or where a child in a regulated setting has died.

The local authority must report any incident that meets the criteria to both Ofsted and the relevant LSCB within five days.

The revised guidance also proposes changes to the way the role of local authority designated officers (LADO), who are informed of any allegations against adults who work with children, and provide advice and guidance to senior managers on the progress of cases.

The government is proposing that a “single point of contact” be created for the reporting of both concerns about child abuse or neglect and allegations against those who work with children.

Meanwhile, local authorities will be given the freedom to distribute responsibility for the LADO role to a “team of officers” who are qualified social workers.

"There has been a suggestion that the LADO role causes confusion among some professionals about what to refer and to whom," the consultation document states.

"We expect that the impact of this change will be to reduce the risk that allegations against those who work with children are managed in isolation from any action necessary to address welfare concerns relating to the child or children concerned."

"We believe it is for the local authority, with its partners, to determine how it organises its internal systems to investigate allegations against a person and harm to a child.”

"We are not proposing that the LADO role be disbanded, but rather that it links more closely to the front door of children’s social care.”

A consultation on the proposals closes on 3 February.