Leader: More social workers recruited in plan ‘reset’
MORE social workers have been recruited in Solihull as the borough rebuilds its struggling children’s services, it has been revealed.
Council leader Cllr Ian Courts said: “A new leadership team is in place in children’s services, and we have reset our improvement plan.
“We have recruited more social workers to meet the rising demand from people contacting us with concerns about children, and this has provided us with the capacity to ensure there is a dedicated social worker for all the children that are assessed as needing one.”
He was responding to a key report from a government commissioner sent in to help improve the service.
The report from Sir Alan Wood, the former director for Children and Young People’s Services in Hackney, recommends a three-year plan to “urgently” improve children’s social care services.
The department has been the subject of much scrutiny since failings were found in the run-up to the tragic death of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes in 2020. He was abused and killed by step mum Emma Tustin and dad Thomas Hughes. Bruises on the schoolboy’s back were “ignored” by social workers, who missed a “pivotal” opportunity to save him.
Sir Alan’s report concludes that vulnerable children and families in Solihull have not been receiving effective support for a “considerable period”. It also calls on the new director of the department, Pete Campbell, to “build a strong and effective leadership team” to bring about the ‘desperately needed’ improvements.
And it urges “immediate action” to improve the quality of services provided to the growing number of children in care in Solihull.
Cllr Courts said: “We welcome the findings of the commissioner’s report on children’s services in Solihull, and fully accept the recommendations he has made. I am pleased that the commissioner has highlighted that Solihull is at the threshold of having in place the capacity to oversee improvement. He has seen the improvements we have made over the last few months, and our full commitment to make further necessary changes.”
He added: “I have also established a regular meeting of senior leaders at the council, Birmingham & Solihull Integrated Care Board and the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner to have strategic oversight of the improvement work that is underway.
“It is crucial that as leaders we have a handle on the challenges facing our organisations and can provide the necessary support and direction to provide better outcomes for children.”