Rethinking Children's Services - Fit for the Future? Edited by Enver Solomon - Catch22
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Rethinking Children’s Services Fit for the Future? Edited by Enver Solomon
Rethinking Children’s Services Fit for the Future? Edited by Enver Solomon
ABOUT THE NATIONAL ABOUT CATCH22
CHILDREN’S BUREAU Catch22 is a social business; a
The National Children’s Bureau non profit business driven by
(NCB) is a leading charity that a social mission. It works all
for more than 50 years has been over the UK to deliver better
improving the lives of children outcomes for young people and
and young people, especially their families, wherever they
the most vulnerable. We work face disadvantage. In 2014/15
with children and for children, Catch22 directly worked with
to influence government policy, 33,177 people, through 1,650
be a strong voice for young staff and volunteers in over 100
people and practitioners, and locations. It has a strong heritage
provide creative solutions on a in charitable delivery, and has
range of social issues. For more worked with young people for
information visit www.ncb.org.uk. over 200 years.
Catch22’s services for young
people and families include
vulnerable families and children
in need, looked after children and
care leavers, missing from home
and child sexual exploitation,
substance misuse (alcohol and
drugs), emotional wellbeing
and youth Justice. Catch22 also
runs the National Leaving Care
Benchmarking Forum (NLCBF),
the largest membership forum
iispecialising in leaving care in the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
UK, with an active membership NCB and Catch22 are grateful
of over 80 local authorities in to all the contributors who have
England and Northern Ireland. given their time, energy and ideas
Alongside these services, to contribute to the publication.
Catch22 works at every stage Without them it would not have
of the wider social welfare been possible. Donald Forrester
cycle for young people and is particularly grateful to his
their families. It delivers award mother – Margaret Forrester –
winning alternative education for inspiring him to draw on a
(through our schools and quote by Antoine de Saint-
academies), apprenticeships and Exupery. Lisa Harker is grateful
employability programmes and to Dez Holmes, Jon Ainger and
rehabilitation services (working Ed Vainker for helpful comments
in partnership in 17 prisons). For on an earlier draft of her
more information, please visit contribution. Thank you to
www.catch-22.org.uk. Beth Murray and Millie Shuter
of Catch22 for their hard work
throughout the process.
NCB and Catch22 copyright 2016.
iiiCONTENTS
Foreword | page vi
Lord Norman Warner, former Commissioner for Children’s Social Care in Birmingham.
Introduction | page ix
Enver Solomon, Director of Evidence and Impact, National Children’s Bureau.
1. Demand management as the driver for reforming child
protection responses | page 1
Lisa Harker, former Director of Strategy, Policy and Evidence at NSPCC.
Lisa Harker argues that unleashing the hidden resources of the community will have a much
more powerful impact on the lives of children than could ever be achieved through the deploy-
ment of statutory services.
2. What, when, why and how:
zombie social work and the need for a new narrative | page 8
Professor Donald Forrester, Professor in Children and Family Social Work and Director of
CASCADE: Children’s Social Care Research and Development Centre at Cardiff University.
Professor Forrester argues that despite many attempts to restructure, reorganise and reform
children’s social care services, little has been achieved. Before we find a solution, we must
reconsider the reasons that children’s services exist.
3. Children’s services re-imagined | page 15
Martin Pratt, Director of Children, Schools and Families in the London Borough of Camden.
Simply reducing or reconfiguring services will not bring about sufficient improvements in the
quality of children’s social care. Martin Pratt argues for an act of collective imagination in a
community, locality or area.
4. A new deal for children and young people | page 21
Donna Hall, Chief Executive of Wigan Council.
Wigan Council is committed to a whole life approach. Donna Hall explores the benefits
of Wigan’s Start Well integrated delivery model; a three year programme underpinned by
innovation and creativity.
iv5. Realising capacity – a future for children’s social care | page 26
Chris Wright, Chief Executive of Catch22.
Chris Wright argues for less bureaucratic, more efficient and more human ways to deliver
services for children and families. By refocusing priorities on relationships rather than
bureaucracy, he predicts improved outcomes and lowered costs.
6. The key to success – high calibre, well trained social workers | page 37
Sir Martin Narey, adviser to government and former CEO of Barnardo’s.
Martin Narey argues that the challenges facing children’s services in the next few years,
not least financial, will mean that social workers will need to be increasingly effective if
vulnerable and abused children are to be adequately protected.
7. Lessons from Rotherham and my work with troubled families | page 42
Louise Casey, Director General, the Department for Communities and Local Government.
Louise Casey draws on her experiences reporting on Rotherham Metropolitan Borough
Council and its failings over child sexual exploitation. She argues that “child sexual exploitation
and our response to it, holds up a mirror to the inadequacy of our ‘corporate parenting’.”
8. Putting human relationships at the heart of services | page 47
Michael Little, Co-Director of the Dartington Social Research Unit.
Michael Little argues for a shift towards relational social policy, citing three compelling
catalysts for change: faux austerity; the exhaustion of the outcome paradigm; and the gap
between service and need.
9. The insanity of competitive markets | page 52
Kathy Evans, Chief Executive of Children England.
Kathy Evans argues that the idea of a ‘mixed economy’ of public, voluntary and private
organisations in children’s services is nothing new, but “outsourcing and competition are part
of the problematic past that we must move away from.”
Conclusion | page 57
Enver Solomon, Director of Evidence and Impact and Anna Feuchtwang, Chief Executive
at the National Children’s Bureau.
vFOREWORD
This new book of essays seeks The optimism of an era that
to stimulate new thinking about passed the 1989 Children Act
services for children, in particular and put the interests of the child
for those who need our protection centre stage seems a long time
and support the most. The State ago. We still have a statutory
is shrinking but even before it framework for protecting children,
was, its glaring weaknesses – but the investment in that
locally and centrally – have been framework continues to shrink
there for all to see. with no end in sight. As money
gets tighter organisations seek
The roll call of institutional to protect themselves, tightening
failure, abuse, neglect and their eligibility criteria and
sometimes downright cruelty looking nervously at co-operative
has grown with monotonous ventures. Better to survive until
regularity. As a country we seem better financial weather comes,
to struggle to make children a they think; but what if it doesn’t?
political and investment priority. The children in need and at risk
Too many of our children are are still there – and probably
left inadequately supported in increasing in number.
troubled families, low-income
households and just plain loose There are thankfully still a lot of
in society. Even when in the talented and committed people
State’s care they are still not around – both professionals and
always protected or nurtured, left others – who want to help and
ill-equipped to face and survive in work with children and young
a tough world. When their plight is people. They work hard, often
revealed there is much wringing struggling to make sense of the
of hands but too often too little systems that they have to work
changes as the merry-go-round within. These people need to be
of neglect continues. rescued with some new creative
viToday it is worth remembering the wartime advice of the eminent
physicist Ernest Rutherford; “we haven’t got the money, so we’ve got
to think.”
thinking and action. As the technology, partnership, localism
traditional public expenditure and outcomes, not processes.
pots continue decreasing new There are plenty of ideas along
approaches must be tried if these lines in these essays for
vulnerable children aren’t to get people to get their teeth into.
an even worse deal. For the sake of the children
who need our help, let’s hope
Today it is worth remembering people do.
the wartime advice of the eminent
physicist Ernest Rutherford; “we Lord Norman Warner
haven’t got the money, so we’ve March 2016
got to think.” This set of essays
attempts to deliver some of that Lord Norman Warner is a
new thinking for an era of public crossbench peer, and was
expenditure austerity. until 2016 the Commissioner
for children’s social care in
For meaningful change that helps Birmingham.
children at risk and in need the
action must shift locally. Hanging
around for the men and women in
Whitehall and Westminster to act
could mean a very long wait. We
just have to hope they don’t get in
the way! The watchwords for the
new normal of shrinking public
budgets must be innovation,
viiviii
INTRODUCTION
Enver Solomon, Director of Evidence and Impact at the National
Children’s Bureau
When a child is not being and practice to consider the
sufficiently cared for it is the duty challenges faced by children’s
of the state to step in and make services. It considers how they
sure that he or she is helped, and central government should
protected and supported to respond. It brings together
flourish. The law is clear that the prominent government advisers
welfare of the child is paramount, as well some leading thinkers and
and this principle should be at the local service leaders to present
heart of how the state intervenes their thoughts on the future of
in children’s live. Determining children’s services and to provide
how this most important function examples of approaches being
of government is best executed taken by local authorities.
and how the state should act
to prevent harm and promote This is, of course, a key
children’s welfare is complex and moment in the development of
open to considerable debate. How children’s services. Demand has
proactive should professionals increased exponentially; since
be, should there be clear central 2002 the number of children
prescription or greater discretion, on child protection plans has
how should the child be put at increased by 88 per cent.1 The
the centre of decision making so number of children in care is at
they can articulate their needs? the highest level it has been for
Should greater effort be put into three decades.
abuse and neglect prevention
rather than just responding, and There is no doubt that this
how can community resources be high level of demand places
most effectively harnessed? considerable pressure on
This book of essays seeks to children’s services. The
stand back from the day to day complexity of need is also
challenges of policy making changing. It raises serious
INTRODUCTION
ixquestions about whether or not wants to see “landmark reforms”
a system, which as Martin Pratt over this parliament that are
points out in chapter three was “as transformative as we did in
designed primarily to deal with education over the last.” 3 A child
familial abuse, is able to respond protection taskforce has been
effectively to complex issues of set up, and some local authority
sexual exploitation, radicalisation, children’s services deemed as
female genital mutilation and failing have already been moved
gang culture. to newly established children’s
services trusts. The government
At the same time there is no has said that in the future those
dispute that local authority budgets services which persistently
are shrinking. Lisa Harker (chapter fail will be taken over by high
one) notes that so far it seems that performing authorities or other
spending on frontline social care providers. Some areas have
has been protected relative to other already developed new approaches
services. But analysis by NCB and such as the community interest
other children’s charities shows company that is running children’s
that spending has been reduced services in Richmond and Kingston.
on many areas including youth In recognition of the changing
support and children’s centres landscape the Association of
that could help services intervene Directors of Children’s Services
early and prevent children entering has recently published a more
the social care system.2 As further provocative report on ‘next practice
budget cuts are made local in children’s services’. 4
authorities will surely struggle to
continue to protect children’s social Professor Donald Forrester, adviser
care spending. to the government on the creation
of the Frontline graduate social
All the contributors to this book work training scheme reflects
accept that the status quo is in chapter two that there now
not viable and that in the next seems to be a broad consensus
five years children’s services will that children’s services are not
be radically altered. The Prime “delivering the high quality service,
Minister has made clear that he mixing authority and compassion
ENVER SOLOMON
xin helping families and children, For Lisa Harker (chapter one), until
that is to be expected.” He argues recently the Director of Strategy,
that what is needed is a new Policy and Evidence at NSPCC, the
narrative - an inspiring vision for approaches taken in Wigan and
what “children’s services should be Camden are the only means of
striving to achieve” that provides managing demand and reducing
“a shared understanding of what the need for statutory intervention.
the service is actually for” rather She starkly warns that “more
than simply focusing on effective resources won’t make a difference
management, which in his view if they are poured into a system
has failed to deliver consistent which is ineffective at tackling the
good quality care for children root causes of the problem.” But
and families. she also argues for a shift in the
relationship between the state and
Chapters three and four provide its citizens “unleashing the hidden
examples of how two local areas resources of the community” to
are attempting to set out a vision take action when they are first
based around resilience. Camden’s concerned about a child rather
Director of Children, Schools and than waiting for the situation to
Families Martin Pratt, explains how escalate and then simply referring
it focuses on supporting families on to children’s social care. Chris
to “build capacity rather than Wright, Chief Executive of Catch22
create dependence, which in turn makes the same point in chapter
promotes individual resilience in five, arguing that “unlocking
children as they grow up.” He gives capacity in communities must
the example of a newly configured be central to a new approach to
mental health and well being delivering’ services.”
service that was designed based
on collaboration with children and The importance of those
young people. In Wigan services are professionals working with children
being redesigned taking an asset and families to achieve a shift in
based approach premised on ‘a social care is equally important. In
substantial shift from intervening chapter six Sir Martin Narey, the
and ‘doing to’ to working with and former CEO of Barnardo’s, focuses
building individual, family and on the skills and competencies
community resilience’.
INTRODUCTION
xiof children’s social workers and a change in how public services
the findings from his review for are conceptualised so that they
the government of social work are not being resourced to achieve
training. He argues that with the their own ends but work alongside
quality of social work education in the community “engaging with civil
the ascendency the capabilities of society to figure out how to achieve
the profession will only improve. mutually agreed ends.” For Little,
For Louise Casey (chapter seven) the relational approach is not a
who led the government’s Troubled silver bullet but needs to be tried
Families programme, how frontline and tested more openly under a
professionals use their skills to “broad set of initiatives that live
engage with families is key. She under a tent called relational
highlights the importance of a social policy.”
change in mind-set, “a collective
will and willingness to put A new vision of children’s services
vulnerable people first in everything raises a controversial question:
we do.” She also warns that to what extent should provision
safeguarding children from harm be opened up to a wider diversity
should be the “core responsibility of of providers? In chapter five Chris
everyone in public service, from the Wright calls for national and
licensing of taxis to the houses that local government to encourage
children live in, to the schools they a range of providers of children’s
do or don’t turn up to.” services. He pointedly states that
this should not be first generation
A more radical approach is set outsourcing which has been “too
out in chapter eight by Michael limiting” with cost saving as the
Little, Co-Director at the Social primary driver and argues for a
Research Unit at Dartington. more radical approach, “drawing
He proposes a shift from the focus in the range of resources available
on better outcomes which he says with the goal of delivering the best
has in reality has been about better possible outcomes.” Adopting an
outputs, to focusing on “connection even more critical stance, Kathy
– making sure people have the Evans, CEO of Children England,
access they need to people who is scathing in her critique of
can help them.” This would require outsourced commissioning in
ENVER SOLOMON
xiichapter nine. She argues that it It is a complex issue, and this
is a costly and wasteful use of collection of essays is not
limited resources with contracts designed to offer up a list of neat
“weighted to the cheapest bidder proposals or carefully crafted policy
rather than giving equal weight to recommendations. Instead it is
quality and social value.” She calls intended to urge all those who are
on the sector to “collectively agree working to improve the quality of
to suspend competition as the children’s services to pause and
primary means of decision making take stock.
and knuckle down to sharing
power, money and ideas.” Children Having the space to collectively
England is exploring the potential think and reflect is crucial if the
for new forms of delivery that are multiple challenges currently
rooted in the community and give facing the sector are to result in
children and young people an intelligent solutions, borne out of
unprecedented level of control. healthy debate about what has
gone before and what is happening
It is clear from the contributions now. Drawing on the themes set
in this book that there are no out by all of the contributors the
straightforward solutions to final chapter puts forward key
the challenges facing children’s points for reflection which must
services, and to the desire to be considered if children’s services
improve the quality of provision. are to be fit for the future.
NOTES
1 How Safe Are Our Children, 2015, NSPCC.
2 Losing in the long run, 2016, NCB, Action for Children, Children’s Society.
3 David Cameron speech 14th December 2015
4 Selwyn (2016) Pillars and Foundations: Next Practice in children’s services, ADCS
INTRODUCTION
xiiixiv
1. DEMAND MANAGEMENT AS THE
DRIVER FOR REFORMING CHILD PROTECTION
RESPONSES
Lisa Harker explains why and how local authorities should focus
on reducing the demand for child protection responses
In the next five years children’s protect children from abuse and
services in England will change neglect in our society.
beyond recognition.
Demand has risen exponentially.
Some imagine that children’s Since 2002 the number of
services departments will children on child protection plans
become half the size they has increased by 88 per cent.9
were a decade earlier.5 This Child protection services are
transformation will be driven by under considerable pressure.
a reduction in public funding; Even where spending has been
local authorities’ spending per protected, services are in danger
person has already been cut by of breaching their statutory
23 per cent in real terms since requirement to protect children
20106 and in the next five years a who are at risk of significant
further £9.5 billion of savings is harm.10
required.7 So far, spending on the
frontline of children’s social care There is no indication that the
has been protected relative to demand is likely to abate in the
other services,8 but it will not be near future, given evidence of
possible to meet savings targets unmet need. For every child
without deeper cuts in future. on a child protection plan it is
estimated that another eight
In truth however, changes to have been maltreated.11 Agencies
children’s services would have frequently report difficulties
been necessary even if public accessing help from children’s
spending was rising, such is the social care for children they
need to reassess how best to are concerned about.12 Wider
1evidence of need, such as the picture if they are simply poured
number of children living with into a system which is ineffective
domestic violence or with a at tackling the root causes of
mental health problem, suggests the problem.
that children’s services are only
reaching a small minority of those The most inspiring leaders in our
who would benefit from support.13 field have already recognised that
A rising birth rate means that local in future children’s services will
authorities expect pressures on need to be driven by a new goal: to
services to increase.14 In short, it reduce the circumstances which
is clear that this situation will not lead to children requiring a child
right itself. protection response in the first
place. It is this form of so-called
Even at the peak of spending on ‘demand management’ that will
children’s services in 2009/10 it was lead to sustainable change, not
clear that they were dominated by one that rations services ever more
the demands of child protection. tightly as budgets shrink.
Despite the ambitions of the
1989 Children Act, with its broad Leeds is one local authority which
definition of a child ‘in need’, the is already seeking to adopt this
focus of children’s services has long approach. It has set itself the
been centred on the crisis end of task of becoming a ‘child-friendly’
the spectrum. Consequently, the city, re-orientating its children’s
need to ‘re-engineer’ children’s services so that they explicitly
services so that they are better at set out to reduce the need for
tackling to root causes of abuse statutory intervention by building
has been observed in the UK, as on the capacity of those around a
well as other countries.15 There child to support them. By placing
remains a strong case for investing a stronger value on the importance
more resources than we currently of consistent relationships in
spend on children’s services, given children’s lives and adopting a
the long-term impact that early restorative approach which does
childhood trauma has individuals not assume that the state knows
and wider society. But greater best, the local authority is seeking
resources will not transform the to move away from a position where
LISA HARKER
2“Moreover, the local authority is putting itself in the role of catalyst
rather than problem-solver, setting out a common set of outcomes for
all children in Leeds and then drawing in a wide range of partners”
professionals have all the control wider resources in the community.
and decision-making powers over It would require changes to the
families and instead put more of way that services are financed
the decision-making with families and assessed. It would place
themselves. Moreover, the local local authorities in the role of
authority is putting itself in the role catalysing responses to complex
of catalyst rather than problem- problems rather than providing
solver, setting out a common set of or commissioning a set of pre-
outcomes for all children in Leeds determined services. It would
and then drawing in a wide range entail working across professional
of partners, from private, statutory boundaries and adopting counter-
and voluntary sectors, to figure out cultural professional behaviours.
how to realise this vision together. It would mark a shift in the
relationship between the state and
Other local authorities, such as the citizen, similar to The Deal that
Stockport, Essex and Cheshire Wigan council has struck with its
West, are taking a similar path. citizens16 as set out by Donna Hall
If adopted across the board, in chapter four.
this approach would transform
children’s services as we currently This level of change seems
know them. But it would require daunting, even if the prize is
change on many fronts. It would significant. Some have noted that
mean redefining services so that we are reaching a crossroads where
their chief aim is to build resilience local authorities need to decide
to avoid intervention rather whether they will take this route
than to meet a set of statutory or opt for alternatives, such as
responsibilities. It would need simply becoming a smaller version
a shift from a limiting focus on of the current model.17 Those local
assessing risk and deploying authorities minded to make the
services towards harnessing leap will be distinguishable by
DEMAND MANAGEMENT AS THE DRIVER FOR REFORMING CHILD PROTECTION RESPONSES
3three characteristics: their thirst undertaken by 89,000 social
for better data and insight into the workers rather than the 2.8 million
root causes of the problems that who work in the wider children’s
children’s services they tackle, the workforce in England. This has
desire to work with a wide range inadvertently been reinforced by
of professionals in new ways and the message from regulations and
a willingness to work with the guidance that it is a professional’s
community in the process of duty to report abuse to children’s
finding solutions. social care, rather than act on it.
Of these, better data collection Social work cannot shoulder the
and analysis appears the most burden of preventing abuse as
surmountable, notwithstanding the well as taking swift action when a
fact that current measurement of child is at risk of harm. Too often a
the known root causes and factors professional, working in isolation,
associated with child abuse is refers their concern to children’s
woeful18 and existing data is often social care,19 only to be told that
not shared on grounds of data things are not yet bad enough to
protection. Nevertheless, in the meet the child protection threshold.
age of big data and increasingly Through a lack of knowledge or
sophisticated analytics we are confidence about how to respond
surely on the cusp of making to a child’s immediate needs,
significant advances in the way we professionals signpost families to
understand what is happening in other services, or watch and wait
local communities. until things deteriorate to the point
when a social care threshold is met.
The second challenge, for children’s
services to work closely with Changing this dynamic to one in
other professionals, has long which professionals are able to
been recognised. Multi-agency take swift and effective action
arrangements are hardly new. when they are first concerned
Yet many agencies, including about a child, is essential. The
government, give the impression biggest gains are likely to be seen
that protecting children from in the way that schools respond,
abuse is a role that can only be by virtue of the fact that they
LISA HARKER
4“We seemed to have reached a point in the individualisation of our
society where other people’s adversity, especially when it comes to
how they behave towards their children, is not our concern”
see children on a regular basis family and friends. Communities
and are usually able to build a hold significant influence over
trusted relationship with them human behaviour, as well as
and their family. In many ways the capacity to take action. Yet
teachers are the frontline of child relatively little attention has
protection. Some schools – such been given to harnessing the
as Manchester Communications power of citizens to shape how
Academy in North East Manchester those around them are supported
and the Reach Academy in South through adversity. This will be a
West London – are already particular challenge for children’s
embracing this role and witnessing social care which, with the
the benefits to pupils’ learning as exception of commissioning some
well as their overall wellbeing. But volunteer-led peer-to-peer support
this role for schools needs to be initiatives, has had little day-to-
encouraged by central government day interaction with the local
and Ofsted – particularly with local community beyond those who are
authorities having declining control already known to services. Levels
over schools – and children’s of trust between citizens and
services will need to change the children’s social care are low and
way they interact with schools, by there has long been a perceived
moving away from being the agency (and real) power imbalance
accepting or declining referrals, to between state and citizen.
becoming a supportive consultant,
convener and catalyst for change. We seemed to have reached a
point in the individualisation of
Beyond schools, it will be important our society where other people’s
to harness the actions of many adversity, especially when it comes
others, including GPs, health to how they behave towards their
visitors, shopkeepers, bus drivers, children, is not our concern. It
hairdressers, neighbours, extended is well known that social capital
DEMAND MANAGEMENT AS THE DRIVER FOR REFORMING CHILD PROTECTION RESPONSES
5has declined over the past four such initiatives as the social care
decades. So challenging this will innovation programme), promote
mean shifting our expectations of improvements to social work
communities, as well as the norms training and threaten recalcitrant
of behaviour. Children’s services local authorities with forced
will have to work to increase takeover of their children’s services
confidence, lower inhibitions and by not for profit trusts or “other
challenge assumptions that are partnerships.” Central government
held within communities.20 Change may even force Ofsted to change its
will be gradual; it will involve approach. But these do not amount
actions on many levels. But by to reform of children’s services –
unleashing the hidden resources of their destiny will lie in the hands of
the community, children’s services local authorities.
could have a much more powerful
impact on the lives of children than The context is certainly challenging.
could ever be achieved through the Demand for cashable returns
deployment of statutory services. within two years is unrealistic
and risks local authorities making
Who will drive these changes? ill-judged short-term decisions
The Prime Minister has talked of about spending. A longer term
the need for a “smarter state”, of view will be required and all
the imperative to do things government agencies involved
differently, particularly in relation will need to share the risks of more
to children’s services. But there substantive reforms. It will be
is no evidence of a vision for important to start with an honest
the future of children’s services assessment of the difficulties
emanating from Whitehall. Rather, that local authorities currently
central government is minded to have meeting their statutory
devolve responsibility (and greater responsibilities under the 1989
power in some respects) to local Children Act, with a spirit of
authorities to fashion its own shared endeavour rather than
future. It seems likely that a culture of blame.
central government will continue
to champion innovation (through
LISA HARKER
6It will be hard, but what is the childhood – is one from which a
alternative? A smaller state whole nation would reap rewards.
that simply leaves more children
to their fate is not one that, in Lisa Harker was Director of
developed nation such as ours, Strategy, Policy and Evidence
many will countenance. And the at NSPCC until April 2016 and
prize – more children avoiding the is now Director of the Art Room
kind of trauma that derails their charity based in Oxford.
NOTES
5 Pillar and Foundations: next practice in children’s services, Richard Selwyn,
http://www.adcs.org.uk/download/ committees/Pillars_and_Foundations_Draft_June_2015_v5.pdf
6 Central cuts, local decision-making: changes in local government spending and revenues in England, 2009–10
to 2014–15, Institute for Fiscal Studies, March 2015
7 Future Funding Outlook for Councils 2019/2020, Local Government Association, June 2015.
8 Not all children’s services spending has been protected – see Cuts that cost: Trends in funding for early
intervention services, National Children’s Bureau
9 How Safe Are Our Children 2015, NSPCC.
10 Several cases are outlined in Enough is Enough: a report on child protection and mental health services for
children and young people, Centre for Social Justice, 2014.
11 How Safe Are Our Children 2015, NSPCC.
12 An NSPCC/TES poll of 1,200 head teachers, teachers and support staff found that 66 per cent had reported a
safeguarding concern in the last year, TES 26 September 2014.
13 For overview of children at risk of abuse and neglect see How Safe Are Our Children 2014, NSPCC, pp 10–14.
14 Brooks C and Brocklehurst P (2014) ADCS Safeguarding Pressures Phase 4 Report.
15 See for example Scott D (2006) Towards a public health model of child protection in Australia, Communities,
Families and Children Australia, Volume 1.
16 https://www.wigan.gov.uk/Council/The-Deal
17 The Inflection Point, Liam Booth-Smith and Jon Ainger, iMPOWER, 2015.
18 See How Safe Are Our Children 2014, NSPCC, p14.
19 Research conducted by NSPCC found 75% of midwives, 47% of school nurses, 35% of GPs, 32% of health
visitors and 29% of teachers said they would refer an early concern about neglect to children’s social services.
20 See for example Buchanan E et al Child neglect is everyone’s business – Achieving a greater sense of shared
responsibility for tackling neglect, National Foundation for Educational Research, 2015.
DEMAND MANAGEMENT AS THE DRIVER FOR REFORMING CHILD PROTECTION RESPONSES
72. WHAT, WHEN, WHY AND HOW: ZOMBIE SOCIAL
WORK AND THE NEED FOR A NEW NARRATIVE
Donald Forrester calls for a new inspiring vision for the reform
of children’s services
For decades now, children’s doing great work – but too much
services have been the focus of of the service is not of the quality
sustained government attempts required that we can reasonably
at reform and improvement. demand “so, what is to be done?”
These have included multiple
re-structuring, creation of It was a privilege to be asked to
new policies and procedures, write this essay, and it would
a proliferation of guidance, have been easy to pick almost
centrally imposed forms and any area for reform and write
computer systems, attempts a convincing case for making
to influence timescales or changes. Yet I now have a deep-
thresholds, initiatives to improve rooted suspicion of attempts to
or change social work education create solely rational reforms
and many other attempts to “do of Children’s services. The many
something”. Yet, by and large, well intentioned rational reforms
most of these initiatives seem to carried out do not appear to
have achieved little. Many have have generated genuine positive
actually been counter-productive. changes. For me this is because
the reforms focus on the what
Today, after decades of well and when of activity, without
intentioned reform, there sufficient attention to why and
seems to be broad consensus almost none on how practice
that children’s services are not should be carried out. This
delivering the high quality service creates a paradoxical system that
that is expected. They do not is very busy, but where it is often
mix authority and compassion unclear why various activities are
in helping families and children. being done. This is the zombie
There are great social workers social work referred to in the
8title and discussed further to the sea and fish, but that each
below: it moves, but is it genuinely, had failed. So he decided to do
truly alive? something about this. He offered a
prize of 10,000 gold pieces to the
So instead of offering technical person who could get the people of
attempts at reform, we need to look Childrenservices fishing.
more deeply both at the nature of
the problem and possible solutions. On hearing of this prize, the King’s
Maybe it is time we try to approach Head of Delivery immediately
things in a different way. Let me volunteered. He headed hot foot
illustrate this with a story. to Childrenservices, and set to
work immediately. The production
Years ago and far away there was of fish was rationalised with each
a land, blessed with beautiful person being given their role, and
countryside and wonderful natural guidance on inter-role coordination.
wealth. The King of this country Performance indicators were set
was a happy man. His land was to ensure production of fish. Yet,
prospering, and he had little to despite all this activity, the impact
worry about. Yet there was one on fishing was minimal, and once
village that did concern him, the Head of Delivery returned to the
the village of Childrenservices. palace the paltry increases ceased
Childrenservices was by the sea, as the people returned to their old
the only settlement on a broad ways.
coast which had plentiful fish. Yet
the people of the village did not Hearing of the failure of the Head of
go out to sea. The only fish they Delivery, the Chief Engineer (Social)
pulled in were from the lines they volunteered. He made his way to
threw into the ocean. As a result, the village, and showed them his
teeming schools of fish swam by plans and blueprints for ships
almost untouched by the people of that could brave the fiercest sea
Childrenservices. and nets that would maximize the
return, while ensuring that only the
The King knew that each King or right fish were caught. He explained
Queen before him had tried to get how they could be built with locally
the people of the village to take available resources. There was
WHAT, WHEN, WHY AND HOW: ZOMBIE SOCIAL WORK AND THE NEED FOR A NEW NARRATIVE
9quite a lot of interest in the ideas of surprise – and amusement – the
the Chief Engineer, and yet nothing volunteer turned out to be the court
really changed. Like the Head of jester. “Why not, nobody else seems
Delivery he slowly trudged back to have made any difference” said a
to the palace, disconsolate and clearly unhappy King, and with that
despairing. the court jester set off down the
road to Children services.
Others followed. Lord Very
Important recommended that clear When she got to Childrenservices
policies and procedures for fishing the Jester set herself down in the
would improve the catch. The Chief main square. She started to sing
Inspector suggested that more songs – songs of the sea, shanties
thorough, frequent and in-depth and fishing songs, songs of love and
inspections might enforce better songs of adventure. Slowly a crowd
fishing. The Head of Computing gathered around to listen. And then
(for this was a most advanced the Jester started to tell stories.
mythical land) suggested that new These were not any old stories –
IT systems to allow monitoring of they were amazing stories, stories
the throughput of fish could be the of adventures and strange lands,
answer. Yet, while each of these had of love lost and won, of fortunes
some successes, none managed made and disasters averted. These
to change the overall picture. The were stories that entranced and
people of Childrenservices just did entertained her audience. And each
not go fishing. story featured one subject – the
sea - and one set of heroes – the
The King was at his wits’ end. fisher people who braved the sea.
“Who will get the people of
Childrenservices fishing?” he asked As the Jester told her tales
of his court. Having seen the failure each evening more and more of
of the great and the good, nobody the people of Childrenservices
seemed willing to take on the gathered around to listen. Soon
challenge. There was an awkward those who came were telling
silence, until, at the very back of the others the stories they had heard.
court, a lone hand went up. “I’ll have And soon after that, the people of
a go,” said a voice. To everybody’s Childrenservices decided that they
DONALD FORRESTER
10wanted to go to sea to see these For me, reform of children’s services
wonders themselves. From that requires two parts. First, it requires
point there was no stopping them. a vision for what children’s service
They started to build boats and should be striving to achieve. This
nets – digging out and using the needs to include the core values
plans they had been given. They of the organization, the ultimate
started to agree who would do what aims we might strive for and how
and when. They fashioned boats we should work with families and
and waterproof clothes and all children to achieve such goals. It is
the equipment they needed – and the why and how of the service.
they took to the sea. And with every
voyage they took they came back The second element is a plan to
with more stories, and with the rich achieve this vision. The plan would
harvest of fish. And each week they include recruitment of the right
became better at fishing and more staff, effective supervision and
productive. decision-making, training and
support for skills development, a
The Jester went back to court, career structure that supported
claimed her prize and, of course, all individuals to achieve the vision,
lived happily ever after. adapted systems, policies and
procedures and many, many other
It is hard to imagine a Director of elements, all aimed at helping
Children’s Services gathering staff everyone achieve the vision. This
around to listen to a story, or Ofsted element is more about the what
Inspectors meeting with workers and the when.
for a sing-a-long. This is perhaps
a shame, but the moral of this tale What we usually see in children’s
is not that stories or songs should services is the second part without
be put at the heart of service the first. There is lots of attention
development. Rather the idea is paid to management of the service,
that an inspiring vision for practice with very little sense of a shared
may be what is missing in current understanding of what the service
attempts to reform services. is actually for. Without this, the
attempts to manage the system
become weirdly empty. Much time
WHAT, WHEN, WHY AND HOW: ZOMBIE SOCIAL WORK AND THE NEED FOR A NEW NARRATIVE
11and effort is devoted to activities • We currently have a social work
that do not seem to have a clear education regulation process
purpose or likely impact. Let me that does not test the quality
give a few examples from my recent of teaching or the quality of
experiences. social workers who qualify from
a course. Instead it focuses on
• In research we frequently observe policies and procedures (what
social workers doing a visit and when, not why or how).
because they are meant to do
one within a certain timescale • We have observed practice
(the “stat visit”). Their computer is in several local authorities
literally flashing at them, they do when Ofsted have visited.
the visit, fill in the form and the There seems to be very little
computer stops flashing. But the relationship between the Ofsted
visit itself is often characterised ratings achieved and the actual
by a purposelessness that leaves quality of practice families are
worker and family confused experiencing. The Ofsted decision
about what is happening. on authorities seems to be
based on quality of computer
• We have observed supervision records, policies and procedures
sessions in many authorities. and management efficiency
They predominantly involve rather than quality of practice or
workers telling managers what outcomes for children. Again, the
they have done and then what what and when rather than the
they are going to do, with a focus why or how work is done.
on pragmatic tasks and a lot of
typing by supervisors. The focus To me this is symptomatic of a
is the what and the when, with system which has developed
little consideration of the why or an obsession with effective
how – either the analysis of risk management, without sufficient
or support for the way workers attention to the wider values and
should work with children aims of the service. It is like a
and families. zombie social work - moving and
busy (very, very busy!) without any
sense of being truly alive.
DONALD FORRESTER
12“But management should be the servant of vision, not a replacement:
when we have management without vision we see zombie social work”
There are exceptions to this. In of the service, of understanding
evaluating Reclaiming Social Work and discussing what great social
– a move to small units delivering work is. They need to shape the
systemic practice - I was deeply whole system. The leaders need to
impressed by the fact that the be the people telling the stories,
organisation clearly had a coherent and they need to involve everyone
vision, including underlying values in collectively developing our
and overarching aims for the narrative of excellent practice.
work. The management of the
organisation was then created to I spent much of this essay telling a
deliver on these. There are other story because for me the story had
hopeful developments: for instance, a crucial moral: we need to find and
Signs of Safety offers the promise articulate inspiring ways of working
of a coherent vision for practice; if we are to revolutionise children’s
Restorative Approaches are services. This is not to say effective
exciting new ways of re-discovering management is unimportant:
core social work values; and it is absolutely crucial. But
integrating ways of working such management should be the servant
as Motivational Interviewing offers of vision, not a replacement: when
promise for more effective and we have management without
ethical practice. vision we see zombie social work.
Yet there are profound challenges That, for me, is the moral of the tale.
in moving organisations toward And it is a lesson we must learn to
such ways of working. The biggest put at the heart of reforming social
single challenge is that the leaders work for children and their families.
of the profession need to believe
whole-heartedly in the model or Donald Forrester is Professor
models that they espouse. These in Children and Family Social
are not products, like a new IT Work and Director of CASCADE:
system, that can be purchased off Children’s Social Care Research
the shelf. They are fundamental and Development Centre at
ways of thinking about the aims Cardiff University.
WHAT, WHEN, WHY AND HOW: ZOMBIE SOCIAL WORK AND THE NEED FOR A NEW NARRATIVE
1314
3. CHILDREN’S SERVICES RE-IMAGINED
Martin Pratt sets out how Camden is reforming its services around
a collective vision of resilience
I was pleased to be asked to expand them again will arise in
contribute some thoughts about due course, is to misunderstand
the future of children’s services to the magnitude of the change
this series of essays. To talk about that is taking place. We are
the future is always a challenge, not required to simply reduce
because it suggests that there or reconfigure services, but to
is a future, fully formed, to be fundamentally re-imagine them.
predicted and then discovered.
This of course is not the case. This exercise of imagination
cannot be a solitary activity.
The fact is that whatever shape Although the contribution of
services to educate, support, individuals is necessary, it is not
develop and protect our children sufficient. There must be an act
take in the future is the product of collective imagination in a
of a number of system conditions; community, locality or area, an
national policy, legislative change, act which has the experiences of
financial circumstances and local children and young people
events (dear boy). Crucially, at the heart of it.
services are also the product
of local determination, insight, The key question to be grappled
energy and imagination. In with is not what are things like for
circumstances where the children around here? But, how
available resource is dramatically might they be? We must ask, what
reduced along with the size of the are the possibilities, and how do
state, nationally and particularly we create the conditions where
locally, I would like to argue that that future becomes more likely?
an approach based on simply This approach is only feasible if it
directly providing fewer services is informed by insights provided
in the hope that opportunities to by children, young people and
families themselves.
15“We are not required to simply reduce or reconfigure services, but to
fundamentally re-imagine them”
In Camden we have begun the imagined with our key partners
process of re-imagining children’s (the Clinical Commissioning
services in response to our Group, Borough Police, schools,
ambition that every child has colleges, early years providers,
the best start in life and no one Job Centre Plus, and, crucially,
is left behind. To achieve this we local and national voluntary sector
have placed those experiences organisations). It relies not just on
and insights at the centre, and collective ambition and good will,
started to build our collective but also on an understanding of the
vision based on shared investment economic imperatives of prevention
in the outcomes we wish to see, and early intervention. We use the
rather than the services we have term ‘investment’ quite deliberately,
traditionally provided. The key because this approach is intended
concept for us is resilience. We are to remove duplication, avoid
aiming to create the conditions, waste and promote ownership
and invest our energy and scarce of the community and individual
resources, in those things which outcomes we all wish to see.
will increase the likelihood that
children and young people grow up An example of our approach at work
in families which are resilient and can be seen in a young people’s
able to weather life’s storms. The mental health and wellbeing
objective is to support families in programme called Minding the
ways which builds capacity rather Gap. There is a relatively high
than creates dependence, and prevalence of poor mental health
which in turn promotes individual among Camden’s young people.
resilience in children as they There are also a wide range of
grow up. highly regarded, in some cases
world class, clinical services. It
Although this is an approach which had however become clear that a
is place-based, it is not the sole significant number of young people
preserve of the Council but one who needed help were unwilling to
MARTIN PRATT
16seek it in a clinical setting until they understanding of how help is
were in crisis. In systems terms accessed and includes a physical
this mismatch was preventing hub offering universal support,
access to an intervention at the information and guidance, as one
optimum point, creating failure route to specialist support at the
demand, and therefore waste. In right time. All parties have had to
human terms young people’s lives re-think how they understand and
were being blighted unnecessarily respond to need, as well as how
when effective help was available. they collaborate and interact with
The key to change was an each other.
understanding of the system from
the young people’s perspective, as The service opened in spring 2015,
well as their active engagement so there is only a preliminary
in co-designing an alternative. evaluation of its effectiveness, but
To realise the new programme in the two years from the initial
has required both fundamentally concept, through the insight, co-
re-thinking the commissioning design and commissioning phases,
and procurement process, and there have been positive changes
developing an alternative provider for many of the participating young
model. It has also meant careful people. For the organisations
work with young people to retain involved (those forming consortia
their involvement throughout the to bid, the consortium selected to
bidding and selection process and take the project forward, and the
in the running of the new service. commissioners) the challenge has
been to really hear and engage
The result is surprising; a service with the young people. Responding
delivered through a consortium to the insights they brought
including local VCS organisations, a and re-imagining a response
national VCS organisation, two NHS which required organisational
foundation Trusts, two clinics and collaboration at a deeper level has
a social enterprise which is funded also demonstrated how one model
by Camden Clinical Commissioning of public service reform might
Group but commissioned and be realised.
supported by Camden Council.
The model is informed by a deeper
CHILDREN’S SERVICES RE-IMAGINED
17“If there is to be a future where an act of collective imagination brings
improved resilience for our children, then schools must be central to it”
A crucial aspect of Camden’s schools of every type must actively
collective vision is the partnership engage in an integrated wider
with schools. Although the system of support which is locally
relationship between local determined, efficiently structured
authorities and schools is, at best, and unambiguous.
contested in the current policy
discourse, when considering the When responding to the How might
future of children’s services the role they be? question I referred to early,
of the school must be addressed. it is the outcomes for children at
If there is to be a future where risk of harm which is the litmus
an act of collective imagination test. Any system will be judged
brings improved resilience for our most acutely and publicly by the
children, then schools must be way it not just protects children
central to it. I certainly wouldn’t from harm, but actively promotes
advocate a model which reduced the welfare of children who are
schools’ autonomy, but unleashing likely to suffer harm. This is the
the full potential of the education area which requires the greatest
system is dependent on creating a act of re-imagination in a world
collaborative network of learning where the state is smaller and
institutions within, rather than must, necessarily, do less.
isolated from, a wider support
ecology. It is essential that any The stakes are high. The current
re-imagined model for children’s approach to safeguarding children
services places learning, school and care is destined to require
life and its importance for their resources far beyond those
life chances at its centre. It must available if the preventive capacity
promote access to, secure and of local partnerships is significantly
ensure the quality of the education diminished. To combat this, we
journey from early years to must form the broadest local
employment. It must also recognise base for investment in prevention
that, especially for children who and early intervention; mobilise
are vulnerable to poor outcomes, community capacity and social
MARTIN PRATT
18capital, alongside charitable, This, along with the current review of
business and state resources. the youth justice system, provides
Nationally we will also have to an opportunity to fundamentally
determine what the child protection rethink how the needs of our most
system is for and, where necessary, vulnerable young people could be
recalibrate it. It must be able to met. A possible future model which
respond decisively to those who are is designed to deliver support,
actually at risk of significant harm, protection and an appropriate
but cannot become the repository youth justice response through
for every social ill. Crucially, that integrated, multi-disciplinary
part of the system has to have high engagement might reduce
quality social work capacity which complexity and cost and prove
requires a well-trained, well led more effective. This would of course
profession and a proportionate require changes to the legislative
inspection regime. and regulatory framework but, at a
time of re-imagining, the possibility
The current policy and legislative should not be dismissed.
framework, rooted in the Children
Act (1989), has in many senses So, the future of children’s services
served us well. In spite of some at a time when the state is smaller,
high profile failings we have one more devolved, and does less is
of the safest systems in the world, likely to be more diverse in its mode
but it was designed primarily to of delivery and broader in the base
address the protection of children it draws on for capacity. However, if
from familial neglect and abuse. we can mobilise new types of local
Its subsequent application to the partnerships with determination
very real risks and dangers faced energy and imagination, informed
by young people in a community by the experiences of children,
context (gangs, sexual exploitation, young people and families, we can
radicalisation, serious youth still aspire to give every child the
violence included) risks a loss of best start in life.
focus on the core child protection
duties and a failure to adequately Martin Pratt is Director of Children,
address those risks, while giving Schools and Families in the
the illusion that “something is London Borough of Camden.
being done”.
CHILDREN’S SERVICES RE-IMAGINED
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