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| Resignations after care criticism | |
| (about 22 hours later) | |
| Midlothian Council's deputy leader and its social work director have resigned after a damning report found services to protect abused children were "weak". | Midlothian Council's deputy leader and its social work director have resigned after a damning report found services to protect abused children were "weak". |
| The HMIE report said social work managers sometimes failed to deal with the problems of the most vulnerable. | The HMIE report said social work managers sometimes failed to deal with the problems of the most vulnerable. |
| Some were left in high-risk situations while those in care or under protection were not seen regularly by staff. | Some were left in high-risk situations while those in care or under protection were not seen regularly by staff. |
| Education Minister Hugh Henry said the problems must be tackled as a matter of "extreme urgency". | Education Minister Hugh Henry said the problems must be tackled as a matter of "extreme urgency". |
| The council's deputy leader, Danny Molloy, who is also in charge of the social work department, and director of social work Malcolm McEwan resigned following the publication of the report. | |
| It does identify failings in management, reporting and evaluation which compromised child protection at that time Danny Molloy | It does identify failings in management, reporting and evaluation which compromised child protection at that time Danny Molloy |
| Mr Molloy said: "I have political responsibility for the service and I accept this and have resigned my portfolio and my position within Midlothian Council as depute leader. | Mr Molloy said: "I have political responsibility for the service and I accept this and have resigned my portfolio and my position within Midlothian Council as depute leader. |
| "I would wish to add that social workers do a very difficult job under exceptionally challenging circumstances and this HMIE report does not challenge the professionalism, ability or the commitment of social workers. | "I would wish to add that social workers do a very difficult job under exceptionally challenging circumstances and this HMIE report does not challenge the professionalism, ability or the commitment of social workers. |
| "However it does identify failings in management, reporting and evaluation which compromised child protection at that time." | "However it does identify failings in management, reporting and evaluation which compromised child protection at that time." |
| Council leader Adam Montgomery said that after receiving verbal feedback from the audit team in September, the council had addressed many of the concerns raised. | Council leader Adam Montgomery said that after receiving verbal feedback from the audit team in September, the council had addressed many of the concerns raised. |
| It had also set up a group to monitor the situation and its chief executive was now chairing the child protection committee. | It had also set up a group to monitor the situation and its chief executive was now chairing the child protection committee. |
| Mr Montgomery added: "Responsibility has been accepted and Midlothian Council will ensure that all the improvement actions within the HMIE report are delivered as quickly as possible." | Mr Montgomery added: "Responsibility has been accepted and Midlothian Council will ensure that all the improvement actions within the HMIE report are delivered as quickly as possible." |
| The report said vulnerable children's needs were not always met | The report said vulnerable children's needs were not always met |
| The report, which was carried out between June and September, said although workers stepped in quickly at times of crisis, their input was often too brief and short-term. | The report, which was carried out between June and September, said although workers stepped in quickly at times of crisis, their input was often too brief and short-term. |
| "As a result, the needs of many of the most vulnerable children were not always met and some children were left at risk," it said. | "As a result, the needs of many of the most vulnerable children were not always met and some children were left at risk," it said. |
| "In some cases, insufficient attention had been paid to patterns of previous incidents and accumulating concerns, particularly in cases of neglect." | "In some cases, insufficient attention had been paid to patterns of previous incidents and accumulating concerns, particularly in cases of neglect." |
| It said some workers focused on the drug and drink problems of parents but did not pay enough attention to the effect on their children. | It said some workers focused on the drug and drink problems of parents but did not pay enough attention to the effect on their children. |
| The inspectors also said the monitoring and reviewing of child protection care plans, when a child's name was placed on the child protection register, were unclear. | The inspectors also said the monitoring and reviewing of child protection care plans, when a child's name was placed on the child protection register, were unclear. |
| The report found that services to protect children were "weak" and "unsatisfactory" in most areas and concluded that work was urgently needed to develop clear policies. | The report found that services to protect children were "weak" and "unsatisfactory" in most areas and concluded that work was urgently needed to develop clear policies. |
| 'Extreme urgency' | 'Extreme urgency' |
| The education minister said he had already met council leaders about the situation. | The education minister said he had already met council leaders about the situation. |
| "This needs to be remedied as a matter of extreme urgency and I expect all agencies across Midlothian to act immediately to tackle the issues and to ensure that vulnerable children are not slipping through the net," he said. | "This needs to be remedied as a matter of extreme urgency and I expect all agencies across Midlothian to act immediately to tackle the issues and to ensure that vulnerable children are not slipping through the net," he said. |
| Mr Henry added: "I will keep in close touch with progress and developments to be assured that all appropriate steps are being taken to turn this situation round." | Mr Henry added: "I will keep in close touch with progress and developments to be assured that all appropriate steps are being taken to turn this situation round." |
| Concerns had previously been flagged up in 2005 when a limited internal audit of the service was carried out but the latest report said the issues highlighted had not been addressed. | Concerns had previously been flagged up in 2005 when a limited internal audit of the service was carried out but the latest report said the issues highlighted had not been addressed. |
| Communities minister Rhona Brankin, who is also the local Labour MSP for Midlothian, said: "The report sets out starkly the unpalatable fact that some local children are being failed by the system in Midlothian." | Communities minister Rhona Brankin, who is also the local Labour MSP for Midlothian, said: "The report sets out starkly the unpalatable fact that some local children are being failed by the system in Midlothian." |
| Fiona Hyslop MSP, the Scottish National Party spokeswoman on children's issues, raised concern about a rise in vacant social worker posts in Midlothian. | |
| She added that social services were being "stretched beyond acceptable limits" in Scotland because of a funding shortfall which she said needed to be addressed. | |
| The boy has been been referred to the Children's Reporter following the incident in December. |