Legal News

The results of a survey by the Victoria Climbié Foundation (VCF) suggest that social workers are likely to struggle to meet their commitments under the Children and Families Act which became law in April.

The website Children & Young People Now reports that VCF and HCL Social Care polled 487 children’s social workers and found that 20% were unaware of changes made in the timescale set for childcare proceedings. There is a now a 26-week deadline for completing care proceedings.

Half the children’s social workers questioned had more than 10 years’ experience in the post – and any said that gaps in their knowledge resulted from senior managers not sharing information about changes in childcare law, with senior managers not consulting with them on changes in policy or practice.

The research was conducted for the report Voices From the Frontline.

The report’s authors say the knowledge gaps among social workers dealing with childcare proceedings show how difficult it may be for some to meet the new targets in care proceedings.

Many of the social workers questioned also said that they felt “overworked” and “poorly supported” by their managers, with just 15% happy with the support they received from their managers.

Only 21% of the social workers questioned felt “optimistic” about their future working in social care.

Those questioned also felt that the main improvement to supporting social workers in their work would be additional resources which would reduce caseloads, followed by “more staff, cuts in red tape and better management supervision “.

The chief executive of VCF, Mor Dioum, said:

“We welcome the Children and Families Act, which encourages development of the childcare sector, as well as ensuring a strong advocate for children’s rights.

“However, we are concerned that – despite a raft of reviews and recommendations over the past five years – the current social work system is not significantly robust enough to deliver on the Act.

“We now have evidence from the frontline that this is the case.

“We have observed, with growing alarm, the significant budget cuts levied on local government, which has consequently compressed the strain on the children and families’ social work sector.”

According to the Cafcass Annual Report and Account 2013-2014, by the last quarter of the year to March 2014, a total of eight out of 40 Designated Family Judge (DFJ) areas were meeting the 26-week deadline for children’s care proceedings within the 26-week target. The impact of the 26-week target has also meant a reduction in open childcare cases, from 10,439 ongoing cases in March 2013 to 7,950 in March 2014.

The new target of 26 weeks was officially introduced in April this year.

Duncan Lewis Childcare Solicitors

Duncan Lewis is a leading firm of childcare solicitors and can advise on children law and a wide range of childcare matters, including:

• Care proceedings
• Child abuse
• Child abduction (international)
• Child contact and residence
• Children taken into Local Authority care
• Court of Protection.

Duncan Lewis is also a leading provider of Legal Aid services and can advise on children law under UK law and Islamic law.

For expert legal advice on children law, contact Duncan Lewis childcare solicitors on 020 7923 4020.