§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he intends to take to protect children in local authority homes from abuse by members of staff.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe measures that came into effect on 14 October with the implementation of the Children Act 1989 and its associated regulations and guidance, and the guidance published in the recently revised edition of "Working Together (Working Together —Under the Children Act 1989)" should ensure protection for children from abuse in whatever setting they are being looked after.
The Children Act 1989—Guidance and Regulations —Volume 4—Residential Care contains specific guidance relating to abuse in children's homes, including the prevention of such abuse wherever possible and the action that must be taken to protect the child involved and deal appropriately with the perpetrator of any abuse.
The Department also operates a consultancy service, which holds details of people whose fitness to care for children is in doubt. Local authorities and other organisations involved in the residential care of children are expected to carry out thorough checks on the suitability of staff, including using the consultancy service, prior to their appointment.
In addition the Act and the regulations and guidance provide, for the first time, for local authorities to carry out regular and detailed inspections of children living away from home in a wide variety of settings, to ensure that their welfare is being adequately safeguarded and promoted. This would include inspections of the authority's own children's homes provisions, wherever possible by the authority's own arms length inspection unit.
Each authority is also required to have a comprehensive and accessible complaints procedure in place for children they are looking after. Children in residential care should also have access to someone independent of the home whom they can contact to discuss any worries. Copies of the publications are available in the Library.