Individual Management Reviews
What Was Our Involvement with This Child and Family?
Construct a comprehensive chronology of involvement by the organisation and/or professional(s) in contact with the child and family over the period of time set out in the review’s terms of reference.
This chronology should be prepared according to the format and guidelines provided by the LSCB. It should clearly set out when the child was seen and whether the wishes and feelings of the child were sought, and also any contact with the alleged perpetrator and the effectiveness in managing the risk of harm posed.
Names should be suitably anonymised throughout as outlined within the guidelines.
There should be a brief summary of:
- the decisions reached
- the services offered and/or provided to the child(ren) and family
- other action taken.
Analysis of Involvement
- Consider the events that occurred, the decisions made, and the actions taken or not. Where judgements were made, or actions taken that indicate that practice or management could be improved, try to get an understanding not only of what happened, but why. Consider specifically;
- Were practitioners sensitive to the needs of the children in their work, knowledgeable about potential indicators of abuse or neglect, and about what to do if they had concerns about a child?
- When, and in what way, were the child(ren’s) wishes and feelings ascertained and taken account of when making decisions about the provision of children’s services? Was this information recorded?
- Did the organisation have in place policies and procedures for safeguarding children and acting on concerns about the welfare?
- What were the key relevant points/opportunities for assessment, and decision making in this case in relation to the child and family? Do assessments and decisions appear to have been reached in an informed and professional way?
- Did actions accord with assessments and decisions made? Were appropriate services offered/provided, or relevant enquiries made, in the light of assessments?
- Were there any issues, in communication, information sharing or service delivery, between those with responsibilities for work during normal office hours and others providing out of hours services?
- Where relevant, were appropriate child protection or care plans in place, and child protection and/or looked after reviewing processes complied with?
- Was practice sensitive to the racial, cultural, linguistic and religious identity of the child and family, and were they explored and recorded? (Article 14).
- Were more senior managers, or other organisations and professionals, involved at points where they should have been?
- Was the work in this case consistent with the organisation and LSCB policy and procedures for safeguarding children, and with wider professional standards?
- Were there organisational difficulties being experienced within or between agencies? Were these due to a lack of capacity in one or more organisations? Was there an adequate number of staff in post? Did any resourcing issues such as vacant posts or staff on sick leave have an impact on the case?
- Was there sufficient management accountability for decision making?
What Do We Learn From This Case?
- Are there lessons from this case for the way in which this organisation works to safeguard children and promote their welfare? Is there good practice to highlight as well as ways in which practice can be improved? Are there implications for ways of working; training (single and inter-agency); management and supervision; working in partnership with other organisations; resources? Are there implications for current policy and practice?
Recommendations for Action
What action should be taken by whom, and by when? What outcomes should these actions bring about, and how will the organisation evaluate whether they have been achieved? Are there any immediate statutory requirements for the notification of concerns and are there likely to be any media handling issues?
