BASW Chair and CEO write to the Times and Guardian on the vital role of local multiagency safeguarding.
BASW Chair and CEO write to the Times and the Guardian following the the horrific failings at the Countess of Chester Hospital and the vital role of local multiagency safeguarding. Read the letters in full below:
The Times
Dear Editor,
Your leading article “A cold calculating killer”, August 19th and follow up comments on the horrific failings at the Countess of Chester Hospital, must be of great concern to us all.
What is surprising is that there is as yet no mention of the role of local multiagency safeguarding, led by local authorities, and the vital importance of reporting concerns to children’s social work and other agencies when there is evidence of risk and harm to children - tiny vulnerable babies in this case.
Many clinicians were concerned at the Hospital but were not heard within the institution. Hospitals too often still operate as closed units and cultural norms can obscure evidence that harm is happening. Anyone concerned about child welfare must be able raise the alarm outside the institution.
We hope that this will form part of the ongoing inquiry and that this is put on a statutory footing. Hopefully, this will engage with all professionals, including social workers, who can play a vital part in preventing future harm.
The British Association of Social Workers represents over 22,000 social workers across the UK
Yours sincerely,
Julia Ross, Chair, BASW UK
Dr Ruth Allen, Chief Executive, BASW UK
The Guardian
Dear Editor,
Your leading article ‘Lucy Letby may have harmed dozens more babies, police fear’ - 22nd August 2023, and follow up comments on the horrific failings at the Countess of Chester Hospital, must be of great concern to us all.
What is surprising is that there is as yet no mention of the role of local multiagency safeguarding, led by local authorities, and the vital importance of reporting concerns to children’s social work and other agencies when there is evidence of risk and harm to children - tiny vulnerable babies in this case.
Many clinicians were concerned at the Hospital but were not heard within the institution. Hospitals too often still operate as closed units and cultural norms can obscure evidence that harm is happening. Anyone concerned about child welfare must be able raise the alarm outside the institution.
We hope that this will form part of the ongoing inquiry and that this is put on a statutory footing. Hopefully, this will engage with all professionals, including social workers, who can play a vital part in preventing future harm.
The British Association of Social Workers represents over 22,000 social workers across the UK
Yours sincerely,
Julia Ross, Chair, BASW UK
Dr Ruth Allen, Chief Executive, BASW UK