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<p>The two serious case reviews published by Northamptonshire’s local safeguarding
children’s board, on 5 June 2019, identify serious and systemic practice issues in
the local area. It is imperative that the analysis in the serious case reviews identifies
the right learning points and recommendations. We have taken urgent action to improve
services in Northamptonshire by appointing Malcolm Newsam as the Commissioner for
Children’s Services. He has a remit to secure immediate remedial action and drive
a longer-term programme of improvement in the county. The department has also written
to Mr Newsam to ask that he consider the lessons learnt and assure himself that the
recommendations are indeed the right ones to effect change.</p><p> </p><p>We are also
funding Lincolnshire county council, an outstanding local authority and part of the
Government’s Partners in Practice initiative, to provide immediate improvement, support
and capacity to Northamptonshire county council to ensure the safety of children in
the county.</p><p>On 14 May 2019, My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for
Housing, Communities and Local Government made a written statement signalling the
government’s intention to act on recommendations from the Commissioner's report. The
intention is to establish a Children’s Services Trust that provides a stable base
for improvement during a period of wider re-organisation in Northamptonshire. On 10
June 2019, a statutory direction was issued to Northamptonshire county council to
co-operate with the Commissioner in the establishment of the Trust.</p><p> </p><p>This
initiative is just part of an extensive range of support and comprehensive reforms
that allow us to take swift, decisive action to either prevent or address failure
in local authorities. These reforms include establishing a new specialist social work
regulator, Social Work England, and rolling out a national assessment and accreditation
system for social workers. We are also committing £84 million (over the next five
years) to build on learning from the most promising innovation projects, such as the
‘Strengthening Families, Protecting Children’ programme. This programme aims to improve
social work practice and decision-making so that children’s social workers are confident
in their support of children and young people to enable them to stay safely at home
with their families, where this is deemed to be in their best interests.</p>
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