New proposals on inter-agency work

Standards for inter-agency working have been drawn up after a
recommendation by Lord Laming’s inquiry into the death of Victoria
Climbie.

Laming’s report, published in January 2002, highlighted poor
working between different agencies that led to a failure to save
the eight year old.

The recommendations are contained in research by Salford Centre for
Social Work Research and Salford Centre for Nursing, Midwifery and
Collaborative Research. They include a core set of standards for
social workers, police, health professionals and teachers covering
areas such as ethics, confidentiality, reviewing and
recording.

Practitioner training should include the standards in their
curriculum by September 2005 and a “core curriculum” on
inter-agency working should be mandatory at each professional level
for all staff.

The study also says the Department of Health should consult on
extending the standards to other professionals, such as housing
workers.

General Social Care Council chief executive Lynne Berry said: “We
need to equip people to work together to help prevent children
falling through the net.”