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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
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| Baby P case sparks hotline pledge | Baby P case sparks hotline pledge |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Social workers worried about poor local authority childcare practices will be able to call a special "whistleblower" hotline, Ofsted's chief has pledged. | Social workers worried about poor local authority childcare practices will be able to call a special "whistleblower" hotline, Ofsted's chief has pledged. |
| Christine Gilbert told MPs the confidential service, starting in 2009, would aim to make it easier for staff to report bad practice. | Christine Gilbert told MPs the confidential service, starting in 2009, would aim to make it easier for staff to report bad practice. |
| She spoke after Ofsted was criticised for giving north London's Haringey Council a favourable report in 2007. | She spoke after Ofsted was criticised for giving north London's Haringey Council a favourable report in 2007. |
| Baby P, who was on the council's child protection register, died last year. | Baby P, who was on the council's child protection register, died last year. |
| Ms Gilbert, Ofsted's chief inspector, told the children and families' select committee: "We want to make it easier for frontline staff to tell us when things go wrong. | Ms Gilbert, Ofsted's chief inspector, told the children and families' select committee: "We want to make it easier for frontline staff to tell us when things go wrong. |
| Sustained abuse | Sustained abuse |
| "We are now considering the introduction of a confidential whistleblowers' hotline in 2009 for social workers and other front line professionals to alert us to any serious concerns about practice that fails to ensure the safety and the welfare of those that we serve." | "We are now considering the introduction of a confidential whistleblowers' hotline in 2009 for social workers and other front line professionals to alert us to any serious concerns about practice that fails to ensure the safety and the welfare of those that we serve." |
| But social worker representatives expressed reservations about the proposed scheme. | But social worker representatives expressed reservations about the proposed scheme. |
| Bridget Robb, of the British Association of Social Workers, told the BBC her members might be unwilling to use an Ofsted hotline to raise concerns about particular cases. | Bridget Robb, of the British Association of Social Workers, told the BBC her members might be unwilling to use an Ofsted hotline to raise concerns about particular cases. |
| She said: "What will Ofsted do with that information, except go back to the employer and ask - and then the employer will know who complained." | She said: "What will Ofsted do with that information, except go back to the employer and ask - and then the employer will know who complained." |
| Ofsted, which carries out official inspections of schools and councils, has come under fire after it emerged it awarded Haringey a "good" rating just weeks after the death of 17-month-old Baby P. I agree that just writing things on piece of paper isn't going to help anyone. It is what you do to help the child that matters. Christine Gilbert class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7776260.stm">Inspecting the inspectors | |
| The little boy died after months of abuse by his mother, stepfather and a lodger, all of whom were found guilty of causing or allowing his death. | The little boy died after months of abuse by his mother, stepfather and a lodger, all of whom were found guilty of causing or allowing his death. |
| Ms Gilbert has previously said Ofsted was misled by Haringey which "hid behind" false data on how it was handling potential child abuse cases. | Ms Gilbert has previously said Ofsted was misled by Haringey which "hid behind" false data on how it was handling potential child abuse cases. |
| She told MPs on Wednesday her inspectorate's assessment of Haringey's child protection services in 2007 was "paper-based" relying on reports and data from other organisations, rather than on-the-ground inspection by Ofsted staff. | She told MPs on Wednesday her inspectorate's assessment of Haringey's child protection services in 2007 was "paper-based" relying on reports and data from other organisations, rather than on-the-ground inspection by Ofsted staff. |
| After the Baby P case the data was checked, and found to be misleading. | After the Baby P case the data was checked, and found to be misleading. |
| Face-to-face | Face-to-face |
| Ms Gilbert said: "Social care cases and the allocation of social workers, when we looked at the files in a number of incidences, appeared to be families rather than separate children in families that had been put forward. | Ms Gilbert said: "Social care cases and the allocation of social workers, when we looked at the files in a number of incidences, appeared to be families rather than separate children in families that had been put forward. |
| "There was a far harder and higher caseload than had been reported. | "There was a far harder and higher caseload than had been reported. |
| "Files also weren't closed promptly as they should have been." | "Files also weren't closed promptly as they should have been." |
| Ms Gilbert said during 2007 there was at least one face-to-face meeting between Ofsted and a "senior person" from Haringey but she did not know what that senior person was. | Ms Gilbert said during 2007 there was at least one face-to-face meeting between Ofsted and a "senior person" from Haringey but she did not know what that senior person was. |
| MPs were concerned Ofsted destroyed data three months after a report was written. | MPs were concerned Ofsted destroyed data three months after a report was written. |
| Ms Gilbert said the evidence was in the Ofsted report, the annual performance assessment (APA) letter and the Haringey case files. | Ms Gilbert said the evidence was in the Ofsted report, the annual performance assessment (APA) letter and the Haringey case files. |
| The destruction of the records meant Ofsted could not say who inspectors had spoken to at Haringey. | The destruction of the records meant Ofsted could not say who inspectors had spoken to at Haringey. |
| Committee chairman Barry Sheerman said: "That is like an academic writing a paper and destroying all their research material." | Committee chairman Barry Sheerman said: "That is like an academic writing a paper and destroying all their research material." |
| Agency staff | Agency staff |
| Mr Sheerman asked her if "alarm bells" sounded when council documents showed nearly half of Haringey's social workers were agency, not full-time, staff. | Mr Sheerman asked her if "alarm bells" sounded when council documents showed nearly half of Haringey's social workers were agency, not full-time, staff. |
| Ms Gilbert said that was "fairly usual" in London but agreed the "personal connection" between a social worker and a child was important.Ms Gilbert said Ofsted was planning changes to its inspection routine | Ms Gilbert said that was "fairly usual" in London but agreed the "personal connection" between a social worker and a child was important.Ms Gilbert said Ofsted was planning changes to its inspection routine |
| The Ofsted chief also said inspections would not necessarily have discovered some Haringey staff failed to attend all of Baby P's case conferences, where crucial decisions were made about his future welfare. | The Ofsted chief also said inspections would not necessarily have discovered some Haringey staff failed to attend all of Baby P's case conferences, where crucial decisions were made about his future welfare. |
| She said Ofsted was only now aware that: "Although there was commitment to working together, they [Haringey staff] were almost working in parallel." | She said Ofsted was only now aware that: "Although there was commitment to working together, they [Haringey staff] were almost working in parallel." |
| Ms Gilbert revealed Ofsted was considering lengthening annual inspections to allow more time to talk to staff on the ground and she proposed a questionnaire be sent to social workers to fill in before Ofsted inspectors arrived. | Ms Gilbert revealed Ofsted was considering lengthening annual inspections to allow more time to talk to staff on the ground and she proposed a questionnaire be sent to social workers to fill in before Ofsted inspectors arrived. |
| Ms Gilbert was asked whether a "Kafkaesque" system of form-filling prevented social workers from doing their jobs properly. | Ms Gilbert was asked whether a "Kafkaesque" system of form-filling prevented social workers from doing their jobs properly. |
| "I agree that just writing things on piece of paper isn't going to help anyone. | "I agree that just writing things on piece of paper isn't going to help anyone. |
| "It is what you do to help the child that matters," she said. | "It is what you do to help the child that matters," she said. |