Government Response to the Munro Review of Child Protection

The headline messages arising from the response are as follows:

• The Government agrees that Professor Munro's 15 recommendations need to be considered in the round and acknowledges that together they represent the opportunity to delivery holistic reform of the child protection system.
• Government will oversee a radical reduction in the amount of regulation through the revision of statutory framework to place greater emphasis on direct work with children, young people and families.
• An amendment to statutory guidance by December 2011 to remove the prescription of timescales and the distinction between core and initial assessments.
• Government supports Professor Munro's view that the quality of relationships between social workers and children and young people sits at the heart of an effective child protection system and will support and work with the SWRB, the College of Social Work and ADCS to develop the knowledge and skills of the profession.
• Inspection will continue to be important with a new inspection framework that will have at its heart the experiences of children and young people
• There will be greater transparency and coordination of local arrangements to deliver an early help offer to children, young people and families
• Creation of a chief social worker to advise Government on social work practice and the effectiveness of the help being given to children and young people.
• A co-produced work programme between the Department for Education, the Department of Health, NHS bodies, local authorities, professional bodies and practitioners to ensure continued improvement of safeguarding arrangements in health reform.
• Government agrees that in future systems review methodology should be used by LSCBs when serious case reviews are undertaken but believes it is important to plan the transition to new arrangements carefully.