Press releases
BAAF concerned about shake up in children's inspection services
Issued: 17 March 2005
This press release applies to England
Over the past three years, three different inspecting authorities have taken responsibility for inspecting children's services in England. In yesterday's budget the Government has announced yet a further change.
The National Care Standards Commission in England (NCSC) took over the responsibility for inspecting the services for looked after children from the Social Services Inspectorate on 1st April 2002. Within weeks of the NCSC being in place, there was an announcement that the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) were to take over and the change was completed by 1st April 2004. Yesterday's budget statement announced the merger and reduction of inspection services.
Felicity Collier, chief executive of BAAF, said "We are concerned that the Government may move the responsibility for the inspection of looked after children's services from CSCI to Ofsted. Local authorities, voluntary and independent agencies providing services for looked after children have seen a huge amount of change in the way these inspections have been conducted over the last three years. Surely this cannot be good for protecting the interests of our most vulnerable children - children whose lives are characterised by uncertainty and, far too often, indecision.
"We have welcomed the inspection improvement agenda introduced by CSCI which has allowed BAAF to have a very important dialogue about the standard of services which will best protect our children. The danger for us is that people take their eye off the ball when services are restructured, with an inevitable preoccupation on internal changes. We are seeking reassurance that the upheaval will be kept to a minimum and that, as responsibility for the social welfare of children moves into Ofsted, the profile of children's social care is maintained high on the agenda of an organisation with a predominantly educational perspective."
Ends
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Notes to Editor
- The British Association for Adoption & Fostering is the UK's leading adoption and fostering charity. For more information about adoption, please contact 020 7593 2000 or visit www.baaf.org.uk
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