Fife agencies defend practices after BBC documentary criticism

Report defends council’s use of significant case reviews

Agencies have pledged to continue improving child protection practices following criticism in the wake of three child deaths.

A BBC Scotland documentary screened last month prompted suggestions more could have been done to prevent the deaths of Mikaeel Kular, Liam Fee and Madison Horn in 2014.

However, a new report to Fife’s education and children’s services committee defends Fife’s use of significant case reviews (SCRs) as one of a range of measures to monitor and evaluate child protection work.

The documentary sparked calls for an independent inquiry into the three cases amid allegations warning signs had been ignored.

Dougie Dunlop, head of service, said: “The issues arising from SCRs have been subject to detailed improvement plans which have been closely monitored by the Child Protection Committee (CPC),” he noted.

“These action plans are now complete for all of the reviews.”

He continued: “The publication of the reviews has understandably generated significant publicity regarding the cases and it can often be a difficult balance in publishing information about family circumstances and allowing the public and other services information about what has happened.”

Mr Dunlop also highlighted the fact that last year the Care Inspectorate praised Fife’s approach to issues identified through SCRs for its “maturity and willingness to look closely at and learn from areas of difficulty”.

Mr Dunlop added that a significant change had also seen the introduction of “child well-being pathways” in all schools, which provide some sort of structure should anyone have any concerns about a child’s welfare.

Such concerns were said to have been a feature in the case of Thornton toddler Liam Fee, whose childminder Heather Farmer revealed in the BBC documentary how she had “wished somebody had listened” to concerns she had raised.

She said she had contacted social work on a number of occasions prior to his death on March 22 2014 at the hands of his mother and her partner.

The issues arising from SCRs have been subjected to detailed improvement plans which have been closely monitored by the Child Protection Committee. DOUGIE DUNLOP

Madison Horn, above, Liam Fee, top right, and Mikaeel Kular all died in early 2014.