Limit imposed on social workers’ child abuse caseloads
SOCIAL workers are being limited in the number of child protection cases they handle at any one time in London’s East End. A Child Death overview panel has also been set up to make sure lessons are learned from incidents
SOCIAL workers are being limited in the number of child protection cases they handle at any one time in London’s East End.
A Child Death overview panel has also been set up to make sure lessons are learned from incidents where children die in unexpected circumstances.
The moves are part of a series of recommendations at Tower Hamlets aimed at relieving the pressure on overworked social services where children are in danger.
KILLER FATHER
It follows the case of Baby P’ who was battered to death in north London last year.
A similar case known as Baby H’ hit Tower Hamlets and Redbridge the year before with the death of an infant killed by his father.
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The child’s parents were under Tower Hamlets social services—but were moved out to Redbridge before the father bashed the infant’s head on the floor. The father was later jailed by the Old Bailey.
A national review of child protection procedures was ordered by the Government in light of a number of child-battering incidents such as Baby H and Baby P.
WORKLOAD
It has since recommended limiting the caseload of social workers as well as improving communication between different welfare organisations such as Child and Social Services and with the police.
Tower Hamlets council’s cabinet endorsed the new measures to help ease the workload on overstretched’ social workers.
The recommendations also include appointing an independent chair which would impose a maximum limit to the cases social workers deal with at any one time.
A Tower Hamlets children’s board was established in 2006, taking responsibility for protecting youngsters at risk.
