Sound child protection practice at Camden Childrens Services
Ofsted inspectors found evidence of sound social work practice in the MASH and in the brief intervention team at Camden childrens services during a recent focused inspection on child protection services.
The MASH works effectively to safeguard children and partners are well engaged which ensures that there is timely information sharing, and also ensures the consistent application of thresholds and an appropriately proportionate response for children and families who need help and support.
“The local authority and its partner agencies have clear strategies in place to promote early intervention. This approach is strongly embedded and there are a wide range of services to support families when their needs are first identified,” said the report.
- Decision-making following contacts, including those out of hours, is appropriate and results in the timely progression of referrals for statutory services.
- Most information sharing by partners is prompt and of good quality and is supported by the co-location of partners in the MASH.
- Child protection investigations are timely and thorough.
- Children and families experiencing domestic abuse have access to a broad range of intervention and support services.
- Management direction for the undertaking of assessments is a strength.
- Written assessments are consistently of a good standard.
- Direct work with children is well embedded.
Social workers report regular, reflective supervision and good access to managers. They also have access to a wide range of induction and training opportunities, said the report.
The report highlights that the quality of referrals from partner agencies in a small minority of cases does not make the level of professional concern sufficiently clear. In a small minority of cases, supervision records do not provide sufficient clarity as to future actions required, particularly in relation to the timescales for the completion of actions. These issues should be addressed in order to further improve social work practice.
