2003 archive

Standards watchdogs join forces on Children Green Paper

08/09/2003

The four organisations charged with promoting standards in social care have joined forces to support a wide-ranging debate on the Children Green Paper.

Involving children and families is essential to achieving a step change in services for children and young people, according to the General Social Care Council (GSCC), National Care Standards Commission (NCSC), Topss England and the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE).

The paper follows the findings of the Laming Inquiry into the tragic death of Victoria Climbié.

The four organisations are at the heart of driving up standards through regulation, training and best practice. They say there is a clear need for better co-ordination across the professions and agencies involved to deliver improved results for the 400,000 children and families using social care services.

In a letter to ministers they say that new initiatives will improve standards and ensure good practice becomes the norm in children’s services. The launch of a register of social care workers in April, the new degree in social work and other new qualifications, codes of practice and national occupational standards are promoting the delivery of high standards of care in the 1.2 million strong social care workforce. National minimum standards for children’s homes, family centres and adoption and fostering agencies coupled with regular inspection will all help ensure best practice is implemented.

Speaking on behalf of the four organisations, Rodney Brooke, chair of the GSCC, said:

“Social workers and the wider social care workforce support up to half a million children and their families each year. But it is still too easy for children in need to slip through the gaps between health, education and social care. The Laming Report showed the potentially disastrous and tragic consequences which can follow.

The four social care standards bodies are working together to ensure service providers and the workforce are equipped to deliver joined-up care to the highest standards. We welcome this opportunity to contribute to the major debate on the future shape and direction of children’s services, with the needs of children and their families at its heart.”