WIREDGOV

In February 2011, the Deputy Minister for Children and Social Services, Gwenda Thomas, announced the intention to develop a new national programme for reviewing and learning from cases involving serious abuse or neglect of children from which child protection arrangements can be improved. 

The consultation on draft practitioner guidance for the new Child Practice Review (CPR) - Protecting Children in Wales, Arrangements for Multi-Agency Child Practice Reviews is open until 2 April.

As part of the new CPR framework, different types of reviews will be undertaken dependent on the nature of the incident and the circumstances of the child involved.  These are defined as ‘concise’ and ‘extended’ reviews and they will be underpinned by continuous multi-agency professional forums. The new arrangements also have a much clearer focus for family involvement in the review process.

The arrangements for multi-agency CPRs have been developed with support from practitioners, including Local Safeguarding Children Boards, which have been piloting the new arrangements.

Gwenda Thomas said:

“The Welsh Government is taking action to put in place a new system of learning from practice that is fit for purpose and supports inter-agency practice to better safeguard children in Wales. This work is significant, and is another example of Wales being in the vanguard of practice which drives innovative ways to help protect the vulnerable members of our society. There has been considerable interest in these proposals from other parts of the UK.”

A copy of the guidance and consultation document is available at:  http://new.wales.gov.uk/consultations/childrenandyoungpeople/?lang=en

The Welsh Government will also be holding practitioner consultation workshops. The first took place at the Richard Ley Centre in Swansea on 20 January and was well attended.  Another will take place at the Conwy Business Centre on 14 March.

The workshops focus on the draft guidance and also draw on the experiences of LSCBs who participated in the new framework’s pilot arrangements. The workshops will provide an opportunity for practitioners to feedback their thoughts on the guidance and have questions relating to the process answered.

Spaces are limited at the north Wales event. If you would like to take part, to request a booking form please e-mail: ChildPracticeReviewConsultation@Wales.GSI.Gov.UK