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18/11/2008
Government Child Protection Plan Revealed
New measures aimed at enhancing the protection of children deemed 'at-risk', have today been announced by the Government.
Children's Secretary Ed Balls said that following the failure of social workers in Haringey to prevent the abuse and death of Baby P, every area of England should be covered by a Children's Trust Board (CTB).
17-month-old Baby P died in a blood-splattered cot at his home in Haringey in August, after suffering more than 50 injuries, despite being visited by social services 60 times in over eight months.
His mother and two other men were found guilty of "causing or allowing" his death.
Under the plans put forward by Mr Balls, every local authority will have to have a multi-agency CTB in place, which would be responsible for improving the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in the area.
Speaking at a child protection conference today in Westminster, the Children's Secretary said: "In some places, there is still too little emphasis on early intervention and prevention. Organisational barriers and competing priorities appear to be getting in the way.
"Professionals working with children in this country do a tough job, often in very difficult circumstances. But we must do whatever it takes to strengthen local arrangements to enable children to live and grow up safely."
A Common's motion has already been signed by some 20 MPs from ll parties, calling for a public inquiry into the running of child protection services in Haringey.
Mr Balls emphasised the need for new measures that would bring a "strength of accountability" to child protection throughout the country.
However he added no Government reforms can "make good the evil" that happened to Baby P.
(JM)
Children's Secretary Ed Balls said that following the failure of social workers in Haringey to prevent the abuse and death of Baby P, every area of England should be covered by a Children's Trust Board (CTB).
17-month-old Baby P died in a blood-splattered cot at his home in Haringey in August, after suffering more than 50 injuries, despite being visited by social services 60 times in over eight months.
His mother and two other men were found guilty of "causing or allowing" his death.
Under the plans put forward by Mr Balls, every local authority will have to have a multi-agency CTB in place, which would be responsible for improving the safety and wellbeing of children and young people in the area.
Speaking at a child protection conference today in Westminster, the Children's Secretary said: "In some places, there is still too little emphasis on early intervention and prevention. Organisational barriers and competing priorities appear to be getting in the way.
"Professionals working with children in this country do a tough job, often in very difficult circumstances. But we must do whatever it takes to strengthen local arrangements to enable children to live and grow up safely."
A Common's motion has already been signed by some 20 MPs from ll parties, calling for a public inquiry into the running of child protection services in Haringey.
Mr Balls emphasised the need for new measures that would bring a "strength of accountability" to child protection throughout the country.
However he added no Government reforms can "make good the evil" that happened to Baby P.
(JM)
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