Transcript IOW LSCB SERIOUS CASE REVIEWS

IOW LSCB
SERIOUS CASE REVIEWS
Presentation for
Investigating
Managers
When Should a Case Review be held?
“When a child dies, and abuse or neglect are known
or suspected to be a factor in the death . . . the
LSCB should always conduct a serious case review
into the involvement with the child and family of
organisations and professionals.”
(Working Together 2006, paragraph 8.2)
When Should a Case Review be held?
(contd.)
"Additionally, LSCBs should always consider whether a
serious case review should be conducted:
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where a child sustains a potentially life-threatening injury or
serious and permanent impairment of health and development
through abuse or neglect, or
has been subjected to particularly serious sexual abuse, or
their parent has been murdered and a homicide review is being
initiated, or
the child has been killed by a parent with a mental illness, or
the case gives rise to concerns about inter-agency working to
protect children from harm".
(Working Together 2006, paragraph 8.2)
The Purpose of Case Reviews
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To establish whether there are lessons to be learned
from the case about the way in which local
professionals and organisations work together to
safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
To identify clearly what those lessons are, how they will
be acted on, and what is expected to change as a
result.
To improve inter-agency working and better safeguard
and promote the welfare of children.
(Working Together 2006, paragraph 8.3)
General Principles for SCR
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Urgency
Impartiality
Thoroughness
Openness
Confidentiality
Co-operation
Resolution
Conducting a Case Review: Timing
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Within one month of the case coming to the attention
of the LSCB Chair, the LSCB Serious Cases Working
group (SCWG) will meet to consider whether a SCR
should take place.
If SCR is recommended, SCWG draw up initial terms
of reference.
Individual agencies should secure case records, and
begin work to draw up a chronology of involvement
with the child and their family.
The SCR Panel and Chair
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The SWCG will identify an independent chair
to oversee the SCR, and an independent
overview author.
Agencies will be asked to nominate members
for the SCR panel- who are of a senior
position and not connected with the family or
child concerned.
Conducting a Case Review: Criminal
or Coroner’s Proceedings
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Those co-ordinating the review should discuss with
the relevant criminal justice agencies and/or the
coroner how the review process should take account
of such proceedings.
Case reviews should not be delayed as a matter of
course because of outstanding criminal proceedings.
All of those involved in and contributing to a review
should be aware that the information contributed may
be used during an inquest.
Conducting a Case Review:
Individual Agency Reviews
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Each individual agency should undertake a separate
management review of its involvement with the child
and its family, appointing an Investigating Manager.
Relevant independent professionals should
contribute reports of their involvement.
Those conducting management reviews should not
have been directly concerned with the child or its
family or the immediate line manager of the
professionals concerned.
Conducting a Serious Case Review:
Role of the Investigating Manager
The Investigating Manager should:
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Determine the interview strategy for their agency.
Complete their agency’s chronology and
management report.
Maintain awareness of timescales and alert the
Senior Designated Manager to any difficulties in
maintaining the timescales.
Conducting a Case Review:
The Chronology
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Construct a comprehensive chronology of involvement by the
agency over the period of time set out in the review’s terms of
reference.
This chronology must be completed on the pro-forma provided
and be a record of the information known and recorded at
the time.
All family names should be suitably anonymised throughout.
All chronologies will eventually be merged into one by the
LSCB SCR Panel
Individual Management Reviews:
The Management Report
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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. What kind of factors,
systemic or otherwise influenced such decisions or
actions?
Individual Management Reviews:
The Management Report (contd.)
Consider specifically:
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How (were?) practitioners sensitive the needs of
children?
Knowledgeable about potential indicators of abuse?
Did they know what to do if they had concerns about a
child?
Did the agency have in place policies and procedures
for safeguarding children and acting upon concerns?
What were the key relevant points/opportunities for
assessment and decision making?
Individual Management Reviews:
The Management Report (contd.)
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Do assessments and decisions appear to have been
reached in an informed and professional way?
Where relevant, were appropriate child protection or
care plans in place and child protection and/or
looked after reviewing processes complied with?
When, and in what way, were the child(ren)’s wishes
and feelings ascertained and considered? Was this
information recorded?
Individual Management Reviews:
The Management Report (contd.)
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Was practice sensitive to the racial, cultural,
linguistic and religious identity of the child and
family?
Were senior managers, or other agencies and
professionals, involved at points where they should
have been?
Was the work consistent with the agency and LSCB
policy and procedures and wider professional
standards?
What evidence is available to support these views?
Individual Management Reviews:
The Management Report (contd.)
What can be learned from this case?
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Are there lessons from this case for the way in which
the agency works to safeguard children and promote
their welfare?
Is there good practice to highlight as well as ways in
which practice can be improved?
N.B
Highlight good or poor quality multi-agency practice to the
Overview Panel as well as issues around your own agency’s
practice.
Individual Management Reviews:
The Management Report (contd.)
What can be learned from this case? Are there
implications for:
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Ways of working?
Training (single and inter-agency)?
Management and supervision?
Working relationships with other agencies?
Resources?
Individual Management Reviews:
The Management Report (contd.)
Recommendations for Action:
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What action should be taken by whom, and by when?
What outcomes should these actions bring about?
How will the agency review whether they have been achieved?
Complete the agency action plan and start implementing any
agency recommendation or actions – Do not wait for the conclusion
of the review!
Your recommendations will appear in the form in which you submit
them in the Overview Report and Executive Summary. You therefore
need to ensure that all recommendations are SMART, will have clearly
definable outcomes and that they are worded in a way that is
appropriate for release into the public domain.
Completion of a Serious Case Review:
Role of the Investigating Manager
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Send the completed chronology to LSCB Business
Manager in electronic format (password protected).
Write the management report.
Pass the finished report and action Plan to the
Senior Designated Manager to be checked and
signed off.
Send the completed management report to LSCB
Business Manager in electronic format (password
protected) on request.
Completion of a Serious Case Review:
Role of the Investigating Manager
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Send a hard copy of the management report, signed
by the Investigating Manager and signed off by the
Senior Designated Manager to the LSCB Business
Manager on request.
Make a list of staff identified as involved in the case
who should be invited to the multi-agency debrief
and pass this to the agency Senior Designated
Manager and LSCB Business Manager.
Please remember to ensure that all documents show the name
of the agency clearly and the revision date.
Contact Details
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For advice re completion of forms, procedures
and timescales:
Rosie Rae 01983 814545 [email protected]
For advice and support in completing individual
management reports:
[email protected]