News

Despite some improvements in Haringey's children's services over the past two years, staff morale remains low and stress at the frontline high, a new Social Services Inspectorate report states.

Although all child protection and looked-after children's cases were allocated when inspectors returned in February 2002 to assess improvements made since the critical review of June 2000, there were continuing difficulties in meeting statutory targets on reviews and visits.

In addition, family support services for families with children in need remained poorly developed and under-resourced, and inspectors reported that social workers used a "relatively restricted palette of interventions that reflected the lack of local resources and the relative inexperience of social workers and their high turnover".

Front-line staff complained of a lack of support and a "blame culture", similar to that referred to by council witnesses to the public inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie‚ in February 2000.

Haringey Council has acknowledged there are still areas of weakness and has drawn up action plans in response to each area of concern, including a new family support service in Tottenham, and the launch of child protection procedures to improve inter-agency working.

Councillor Takki Sulaiman, executive member for social services and health at Haringey, said: "This report confirms the significant progress we have made over the past two years. A key priority for us will be to develop preventive services that support families before they reach crisis point."