Munro proposals: ADCS urged to ‘get on with it’

The Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS) needs to move forward quickly with Eileen Munro’s child protection recommendations regardless of government approval, according to a senior figure at BASW – The College of Social Work.

“We need the ADCS to get on with it – it’s their responsibility to the sector,” said Nushra Mansuri, professional officer for England at BASW. “They’ve got to show some leadership now and be brave.

“It’s easy to respond and say ‘over to the government’, but it’s the ADCS’s responsibility to start moving this forward soon. They need to make a plan of action now.”

Mansuri said that, although ADCS could not encourage changes to statutory duties without government consent, the sector should move forward with pilots of Munro’s proposals such as the creation of a principal social worker role in children’s services teams.

The ADCS, however, has said the government must take the lead in implementing Munro’s recommendations, supported by all agencies.

Coventry’s director of children’s services, Colin Green, speaking on behalf of the ADCS, said: “ADCS is keen to play its part and looks forward to the government’s response to the review and taking forward the recommendations.”

Others have pointed out that, if the ADCS took the without government consent, it would go against one of the central calls in Munro’s report.

“It’s worrying that BASW said that because Munro made it clear that you can’t just choose the recommendations that you like,” said Joanna Nicolas, an independent child protection consultant. “She made it clear her recommendations could not be cherry-picked and you can’t change things like time-scales unless you have the OK from government.”

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