Child protection reform likely to be slowed by cost concerns

Eileen Munro’s recommendations for child protection are likely to be phased in gradually due to financial constraints, comments from children’s minister Tim Loughton have indicated.

At the first meeting of the Munro Review Implementation Working Group, Loughton said there were “undoubtedly funding implications arising from the recommendations” and a gradual roll-out could be a solution, according to the meeting’s minutes.

The minister also indicated he did not want the recommendations to be statutory.

The minutes said: “In concluding the discussion, the minister said that where possible he wants people to co-operate and do things because they want to and for the right reason, rather than being obliged to do so through a ‘duty’.”

Other issues discussed at the meeting included the potential impact of changes in health services and cuts to police funding on child protection and the need to clarify the relationship between local safeguarding children’s and health and wellbeing boards.

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