The Munro Review of Child Protection: final report, a child-centred system (Cm.) - Tapa blanda

In Part One of the Munro Review (published 3rd February 2011, ISBN 9780108510137), Professor Munro set out the approach and features of the child protection system that needed exploring in detail. This second part and final report sets out recommendations to reform the child protection system, specifically from being over-bureaucratised and concerned with compliance to one that keeps a focus on children. Some of the recommendations include: that the Government should remove the specific statutory requirement on local authorities for completing assessments within often artificial set timescales; that local services which work with children and families should be freed from unhelpful government targets; that there should be an introduction of a duty on all local services to coordinate an early offer of help to families who do not meet the criteria for social care services, to address problems before they escalate to child protection issues; that Ofsted inspections of children's services should add more weight to feedback from children and families; that experienced social workers should be kept on the frontline even when they become managers so that their experience and skills are not lost and that each local authority should designate a Principal Child and Family Social Worker to report the views and experiences of the front line to all levels of management. Professor Munro also states that individual recommendations should not be taken forward in isolation but that change needs to happen across the system.