The purpose of a serious case review is to:
- establish whether there are lessons to be learned from the case about the way individual agencies work individually and together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children;
- identify clearly what those lessons are, how they will be acted upon, and what is expected to change as a result;and
- improve individual agency working and inter-agency working and communications in order to better safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
The focus of the Serious Case Review is on learning lessons – they are not inquiries into how a child died or who is culpable. These are matters for the Coroners/Criminal Courts to decide or for agency disciplinary proceedings.
It is not necessary to wait for the completion of the Serious Case Review to take action on the lessons learned.
