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07 March 2003 - Victoria Climbie Inquiry Report (Laming Report)

The report contains 108 ranked recommendations. Those marked 1 should be implemented within three months of the report, 2 indicates those that should be implemented within six months, and 3’s should be implemented within two years.

The following is an outline of the issues that we consider impact on early years and childcare services. The relevant recommendation number is shown is brackets.

Within 3 months
(12) Front line staff in agencies coming in regular contact with children and families should collect and hold registration details.
(18) When communicating with a child whose first language is not English, for child welfare issues, an interpreter must be used.
(21) When a professional makes a referral to social services for child protection/well-being of a child, it should be confirmed in writing by the referrer within 48 hours.
(49) When a professional from another agency expresses a concern to social services about their handling of a particular case, the concern should be read and reviewed, professional met with and outcome recorded on file.

Within 6 months
(6) Each local authority (with Social Services responsibilities) must establish a Committee of Members for Children and Families.
(7) The chief executive of the local authority should chair a Management Board for Services to children and Families reporting to the Committee of Members (above). The management board must also strongly link to community-based organisations. It will be responsible for the work currently undertaken by the Area Child Protection Committee (ACPC).
(9) The management board should identify the budget contributed by each of the local agencies for vulnerable children so that resources can be used in the most flexible and effective way.
(15) Management boards should ensure that training on an inter-agency basis is provided.
(27) Children’s services must be explicitly included in authority’s lists of priorities and operational plans.

Within two years
(1) The creation of a ministerial Children and Families Board.
(2) The creation of a new National Agency for Children and Families reporting to the ministerial board. The chief executive post should incorporate the responsibilities of the post of a Children’s Commissioner for England.
(4) The national agency will operate through a regional structure.
(13) Working together protocols should be brought together. A common language should be established and used to facilitate joint working and understanding.
(16) Data should be shared between agencies working to support the welfare of children and families.
(17) The Government should consider setting up a national database of all children aged under 16 years.
(32) Local authorities chief executives must ensure that single or compatible databases are set up and used to record information on working with children and families.

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