HL Deb 22 July 1988 vol 499 cc1585-6

11.14 a.m.

Lord Harris of Greenwich asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the social services inspectorate of the DHSS is satisfied with the numbers of qualified staff dealing with alleged child abuse cases in the social service departments of inner London boroughs.

The Earl of Arran

My Lords, as a result of concern about social work staff levels the department's inspectorate carried out a survey of referrals to social services departments in London, including child abuse cases. The results of the survey were made available to London directors this week.

Lord Harris of Greenwich

My Lords, I thank the noble Earl for that reply. Does he not agree that there is deep concern about a situation in which it is said that over 600 children at risk of sexual or physical abuse are not being supervised by social workers because of severe staff shortages in inner London? That is the situation in some of the most deprived areas in this country. What do the Government propose to do about it?

The Earl of Arran

My Lords, of course the situation is extremely serious. No one can deny the case made by the noble Lord, Lord Harris. It is for local authorities to determine priorities for allocating their resources. Urgent action is needed by authorities to achieve better management and deployment of staff within available resources and staffing levels. The social services inspectorate met with London directors of social services this week to urge such action and will be monitoring and reviewing the effects over the remainder of the year.

Baroness Jeger

My Lords, can the Minister say whether his Ministry or the Government are giving any advice on the structure and content of training for social workers in this field? Does he not agree that it is inter-agency training that is needed so that not only social workers but health visitors and community nurses—even the magistrates who make the place of safety orders—are better informed about these difficulties?

The Earl of Arran

My Lords, there is a need for inter-agency improvement. The Government accept that there is a need to improve the training provided for social services staff but they wish to see improvements which benefit all staff and not just the few who are at the qualification stage.

Lord Harris of Greenwich

My Lords, is the noble Earl aware that following the Cleveland report it is a matter of serious concern that the answers he has given indicate an absence of any intention on the Government's part to take immediate action? Is the noble Earl further aware that some of us find it surprising that the Government, who on a number of occasions have been ready to intervene in the affairs of local government, are not prepared to take some form of action on this occasion.

The Earl of Arran

My Lords, I stress again to the noble Lord, Lord Harris, that the Government are acutely aware of the situation and regard it as extremely serious. The Government are doing everything possible speedily to solve the problems. I am sure your Lordships know that on 6th July my right honourable friend the Minister for Health undertook to introduce a new Bill to make child care law simpler and clearer.