‘Swift action’ to improve child services at council
ACOUNCIL has said it plans “swift and decisive action” after a High Court judge questioned whether its children’s services department is fit for purpose.
As reported by the Western Daily Press, Mr Justice Keehan concluded that Herefordshire Council “utterly failed” three young people.
The judge, who is based in the Family Division of the High Court in London, said he had rarely encountered such “egregious and longstanding failures” by a council.
He outlined his criticisms in a ruling published online after considering the children’s case at a recent family court hearing.
Three years ago Mr Justice Keehan complained of “dreadful failures” in the council’s handling of children in its care, after considering two separate cases.
Council leader David Hitchiner said he is deeply disturbed by Mr Justice Keehan’s latest judgment and apologised to the family involved.
Mr Hitchiner said the ruling shows that “previous steps” taken to improve children’s services had “fallen short”.
He said an extraordinary general council meeting is planned to “agree swift and decisive action”.
Mr Justice Keehan said the young people at the centre of the most recent case are now 17, 13 and 11.
He said another child died nearly two years ago, at the age of 14, after becoming ill.
The four siblings had been placed with foster carers in 2012.
Mr Justice Keehan also said that their mother had been “completely and exclusively sidelined” by the council.
He said there had been “wholesale failure” to include her in their lives or in decision-making processes – and that had been “tragically but graphically” illustrated by events leading to the death of one of the children.
The judge said the council had “ignored” and “challenged” the advice of a “hugely experienced” child psychiatrist for reasons he did not “begin to understand”.
A call, by another judge at an earlier stage of proceedings, for a reevaluation of the approach the council was taking had been “treated with contempt”.
Mr Justice Keehan said the council’s “actions, omissions and failures” had been spread over a period of more than eight years.
“The children have been utterly failed by this local authority,” said the judge.
“In the whole of my professional life I have rarely encountered such egregious and long-standing failures by a local authority.”
Mr Justice Keehan had criticised the council in 2018 and complained of “egregious abuse” of legislation designed to provide accommodation to children who did not have somewhere suitable to live.
Bosses had been too slow to ask family court judges to take control of cases and make long-term decisions about children’s living arrangements, he said.
The judge had outlined criticisms and concerns after analysing the cases of two children in the council’s care at a family court hearing.
“I am deeply disturbed and saddened by this judgment,” said Mr Hitchiner, in a statement.
“On behalf of the council, I would like to apologise to the family affected by the appalling failings identified by Mr Justice Keehan.
“The latest judgment shows the previous steps taken to make improvements in children’s services have fallen short of what is required to protect and safeguard the children of Herefordshire.”
He added: “Cabinet have requested the monitoring officer calls an extraordinary meeting of council to agree swift and decisive action to improve these services.”
The latest judgment shows the previous steps taken to make improvements in children’s services have fallen short of what is required to protect and safeguard the children of Herefordshire DAVID HITCHINER