New structures could put children at greater risk, commission warns

The new Commission for Social Care Inspection has warned that
the integration of education and social services outlined in the
green paper could put children at greater risk, writes
Natasha Salari.

The CSCI, which will replace the National Care Standards
Commission in April next year, said: “It is the experience of our
transferring bodies that children can be most at risk when services
are preoccupied by structural change.”

In its response to the children’s green paper, ‘Every
Child Matters’, the CSCI said: “Those accountable for
services to children take their ‘eye off the ball’ and
pay attention to developing the changed structures rather than the
outcomes for children.”

Children’s trusts and directors of children’s
services “may or may not” improve services and outcomes
for children, the formal response went on to say.