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19/05/2003
Guidelines on signs of abuse follow Climbie inquiry
Following the horrific abuse of Victoria Climbie - who died in February 2000 - Health Minister Jacqui Smith today launched a booklet of advice to raise awareness of the warning signs that a child may be the subject of abuse.
'What To Do If You're Worried A Child Is Being Abused' – a booklet for people who have concerns about the welfare of children – includes a summary that provides step-by-step action points for a wide variety of staff who have day-to-day contact with children. Together, the booklet and its summary will reach over one million people and will mean that, for the first time, all will be working from the same set of advice.
The advice has been published in response to recommendations raised in the Victoria Climbie Inquiry report which was published on January 28 2003. The public inquiry was set up following Victoria Climbie's tragic death on February 25 2000 and the subsequent murder conviction of her carers, Marie-Therese Kouao and Carl Manning in January 2001.
In the report, Lord Laming detailed a "catalogue of administrative, managerial and professional failure" in the social services. Lord Laming said that there were many different documents available to professionals working in child protection and that the procedures could be confused.
A more extensive response to the report will be published as part of the Green Paper on Children at Risk later in the year.
Jacqui Smith said: "By publishing a single set of advice for all those whose work brings them into contact with children, we expect to eliminate any need for local bodies to produce their own. This is in direct response to Lord Laming's concern about the amount of out-of-date local guidance that he found in the services involved with Victoria Climbie.
"More importantly, by providing an easy-to-use condensed version of the main document, we are ensuring that staff on the front line are equipped with something of real practical use to help them do their job."
The booklet will also be supported by a comprehensive training resource, details of which we will be announcing later in the year.
'What To Do If You're Worried A Child Is Being Abused' is prepared and issued jointly by the Department of Health, the Home Office and the Department for Education and Skills.
Phillip Noyes, Director of Public Policy at the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said: "We are pleased that the Government has shown its commitment to make the Victoria Climbie Inquiry a turning point in child protection by publishing the summary form of guidance so promptly. We hope the guidance will enable everyone working with children to safeguard vulnerable children with greater confidence and with a better understanding of what to expect from others."
Terence Grange of the Association of Chief Police Officers also backed the move, saying that it was "essential" for public service professionals to be aware of the signs.
Victoria Climbie came into contact with four social services departments, three housing departments, two specialist child protection teams of the Metropolitan Police, two hospitals and a families centre managed by the NSPCC.
(GMcG)
'What To Do If You're Worried A Child Is Being Abused' – a booklet for people who have concerns about the welfare of children – includes a summary that provides step-by-step action points for a wide variety of staff who have day-to-day contact with children. Together, the booklet and its summary will reach over one million people and will mean that, for the first time, all will be working from the same set of advice.
The advice has been published in response to recommendations raised in the Victoria Climbie Inquiry report which was published on January 28 2003. The public inquiry was set up following Victoria Climbie's tragic death on February 25 2000 and the subsequent murder conviction of her carers, Marie-Therese Kouao and Carl Manning in January 2001.
In the report, Lord Laming detailed a "catalogue of administrative, managerial and professional failure" in the social services. Lord Laming said that there were many different documents available to professionals working in child protection and that the procedures could be confused.
A more extensive response to the report will be published as part of the Green Paper on Children at Risk later in the year.
Jacqui Smith said: "By publishing a single set of advice for all those whose work brings them into contact with children, we expect to eliminate any need for local bodies to produce their own. This is in direct response to Lord Laming's concern about the amount of out-of-date local guidance that he found in the services involved with Victoria Climbie.
"More importantly, by providing an easy-to-use condensed version of the main document, we are ensuring that staff on the front line are equipped with something of real practical use to help them do their job."
The booklet will also be supported by a comprehensive training resource, details of which we will be announcing later in the year.
'What To Do If You're Worried A Child Is Being Abused' is prepared and issued jointly by the Department of Health, the Home Office and the Department for Education and Skills.
Phillip Noyes, Director of Public Policy at the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said: "We are pleased that the Government has shown its commitment to make the Victoria Climbie Inquiry a turning point in child protection by publishing the summary form of guidance so promptly. We hope the guidance will enable everyone working with children to safeguard vulnerable children with greater confidence and with a better understanding of what to expect from others."
Terence Grange of the Association of Chief Police Officers also backed the move, saying that it was "essential" for public service professionals to be aware of the signs.
Victoria Climbie came into contact with four social services departments, three housing departments, two specialist child protection teams of the Metropolitan Police, two hospitals and a families centre managed by the NSPCC.
(GMcG)
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