In a letter to Professor Eileen Munro, ministers paid tribute to the dedication and hard work of frontline professionals but expressed concerns that the system of child protection in England is not working as well as it should.
Tim Loughton has also written to all chairs of local safeguarding children boards, and directors of children's services to confirm that the overview report and the executive summary of all new serious case reviews (SCRs) initiated from today should be published.
The presumption will be that both the overview report and the executive summary should be published - anonymised and without identifying details - unless there are compelling reasons relating to the welfare of any children directly concerned in the case for this not to happen. There is an important balance to be struck between transparency and openness and the protection and welfare of individuals.
In addition to this new requirement for SCRs, the Government has confirmed its intention that the first SCR overview reports published will be those on the Peter Connelly case. The Government is also committed to ensuring that the SCR overview reports on the recent high-profile cases in Edlington, Kirklees and Birmingham will also be published. In all these cases, identifying details will be removed.
Tim Loughton will also say that the Munro Review will be wide-ranging but its focus will be to look at how to remove barriers and bureaucracy from social work practice, which prevents social workers from having face-to-face time with children and families.
Department for Education 10th June 2010
To read entire article go to http://www.education.gov.uk/news/press-notices-new/reviewofchildprotection
Added on: 15/06/2010