| |
|
|
Key Constituent
Agencies
Leeds Social Services
2004/5
Social Services continues to fulfil
its statutory duties in child protection
through the work of the children and
families social work teams based in the
areas and hospitals, supported by staff
from many other parts of the Department
e.g. Family Resource Centres, family
aides, residential resources, foster
carers, the Therapeutic Social Work Team
and specialist child protection workers.
In addition, Social Services is charged
with undertaking a number of activities
on behalf of the ACPC through staff at
the Child Protection Register and in
the Child Protection Section.
2003/4 has seen a very substantial increase
in enquiries being made of the Child
Protection Register. This does not reflect
an increase in child protection cases
within the city, but rather two new areas
of inter-agency liaison. The police now
make enquiries of the Child Protection
Register re all domestic violence incidents
coming to their attention where a child
is involved in the household. The second
area of increase is where agencies wish
to satisfy themselves about any possible
child protection concerns involving staff
employed in posts allowing access to
children or directly involved in the
care of children.
It is anticipated that this is likely
to be a continuing area of concern, particularly
in the light of possible recommendations
following the Bichard Enquiry, and one
where Social Services, together with
ACPC, will need to consider the resources
needed for this area of work.
Numbers of Child Protection Conferences
being held in Leeds and numbers of children
being placed on the Child Protection
Register have shown no significant variations
in the last year. The smaller numbers
on the Register compared with four years
ago, when they were at a peak, has allowed
Social Services to direct some social
work time into providing family support
services, thus preventing future family
crisis.
The Child Protection Section is involved
in all cases involving allegations of
abuse concerning professionals or those
in positions of power or trust in the
community. In these cases inter-agency
strategy meetings are always held chaired
by a member of the section on behalf
of the ACPC, to co-ordinate criminal,
child protection and any disciplinary
enquiries.
Two other areas of development in the
last year will continue to be taken forward
in 2004/5. The increasing incidence of
child pornography on the internet was
highlighted in 2003 by Operation Ore,
which received much publicity nationally
and locally. This Operation led by the
Police, led to significant numbers of
referrals to Social Services to undertake
assessments where children had been identified
in a household where an adult was charged
with accessing child pornography.
The wide variety of child protection
cases and family situations where social
workers are required to undertake assessments
has led to the production of a Specialist
Assessment Guidelines Pack to augment
work undertaken through the Assessment
Framework. This will be published and
launched in Summer 2005 and added to
as appropriate.
|
|
