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A high turnover rate among social workers weakened their engagement with six young people with a history of social care involvement who were later convicted of violent crimes, the study found.
An investigation into seven children and young people charged in connection with the deaths of three others in 2021 says “consistent and trusting relationships” with health workers are key to preventing escalation of needs. I concluded.
However, six people with experience working in children’s social care experienced a “significant flux” of assigned social workers. and trust was re-established,” the review report said.
Understand how to prevent serious violence
Croydon Child Protection Partnership (CSCP) has launched a thematic child protection practice review on protecting children from serious youth violence following the unrelated deaths of three children in 2021 and a previous review into the lives of the victims. (CSPR) was commissioned.
Based on these and feedback from victims’ families, we conclude that examining service engagement with those found to be responsible for serious violence will improve our understanding of what can be done to prevent it. I attached it.
The review, led by safety consultant Bridget Griffin, was based on conversations with one of seven young people and three of their families, and more than 100 practitioners, through surveys, workshops, case discussions and webinars. It was carried out on the basis of the participation of the house.
The seven young people were between 15 and 20 years old at the time of their deaths in 2021. Three (Ade, Gabe, and Flynn) were convicted of murder, two (Blake and Cole) were convicted of manslaughter, and the remaining (Ethan and Dane) were convicted of robbery.
All were black British men and lived in highly deprived areas of Croydon.
History of children’s involvement in social care
All six (all except Ethan) had a history of attending child social care and other services in Croydon, starting before the age of nine, for reasons including domestic abuse and parental mental illness. There were also early concerns about mental illness in some children.
By age 10 to 12, three were already abusing drugs, and by age 13 to 14, missing episodes, county lines, and harm from outside the family, such as gang members, became significant problems. It appeared in both criminal acts and victims of violence.
The young people, aged between 15 and 16, were given custodial or community sentences in connection with the offences, while four were also referred to the National Referral Authority as potential victims of modern slavery. All six people involved with child welfare services were either removed from school or subject to controlled transfer from one school to another.
The study found that, in hindsight, although the children received a wide range of services to prevent serious harm to themselves and others, they still had “no opportunity to make a difference for children early in life.” It turned out that he had missed out.
A “revolving door” of service provision
A key issue identified by services was the ‘revolving door’ of provision, which started and stopped based on young people giving and withdrawing consent, or engaging and disengaging.
A key finding of this review was the importance of practitioners building trusting relationships with young people and their families to foster engagement, which was supported by the Child Protection Practice Review Panel’s Safeguarding Children from Exploitation Act. This is consistent with the 2020 report on
The report found that many practitioners working with children, including assigned social workers, had achieved this through “exemplary” work, and there were many examples of staff “going above and beyond”. Found the evidence. [was] required of them in their respective roles” and several successful interventions.
The review particularly highlighted the work of the Croydon Youth Team, a dedicated social work resource for young people at risk of serious violence.
“Loss of experienced practitioners”
However, the number of social workers on the team was reduced from 15 to five in 2020 as a result of Croydon City Council having to issue a section 114 notice declaring the budget unbalanced.
Staff told the review committee that this was a “highly experienced situational protection practitioner who had a passion for working with children at risk of serious youth violence and extrafamilial harm. “It means a loss of continuity in their relationship with their children.”
More broadly, the study found there was “significant flux in social workers being assigned to children”, meaning new practitioners needed to build relationships and re-establish trust with children and families. It turned out that it was.
“This has definitely had an impact on the continuity of relationships, the direct work completed and the involvement of children and families.
The importance of trusting relationships
“Social workers and administrators have made it clear that trusting relationships are central to achieving positive outcomes for children.”
This research shows that Croydon’s children’s social services are currently adopting a context-specific safeguarding approach aimed at strengthening the mental health of children at risk of serious violence. There was found.
Practitioners with more experience in situational safeguarding were able to develop better relationships with these children, but frequent turnover of social workers remained the biggest barrier to engagement.
“Retention of social workers was felt to be important in building trusting relationships and thereby promoting positive engagement,” the review report states.
Practitioners told the review panel that recent reorganization will enable practitioners to receive more administrative support within Croydon Children’s Services, which they hope will improve recruitment and retention rates.
Concerns about adulthood
This review also highlights the importance for practitioners to understand and respectfully explore children and families’ cultural origins, beliefs, and intergenerational experiences of poverty, discrimination, and state intervention in order to build trust. emphasized.
Practitioners contributing to this review emphasized the importance of understanding black families’ experiences with mental health services and police, particularly through the use of stop and search.
Case records also identified instances of “adultification,” in which certain children, often black, are seen as having more agency and less vulnerability than other children. For example, Dane, Finn, Cole, and Gabe were variously described as “aggressive,” “manipulative,” and “angry.”
“Systems and professionals must be aware of the risks of adultification, treat children as adults, and question whether unconscious bias is influencing the way services respond to children.”
Principles for reducing the risk of violence
The report sets out 10 principles to reduce the risk of serious youth violence and calls for Croydon agencies to adopt them. These include:
- We identify children in need of early help and provide timely support, particularly with regard to mental health, speech and language therapy, and learning.
- Be persistent when working with children, young people and families and ask why people aren’t getting involved.
- Identifying and eliminating unnecessary duplication and duplication in child and family services.
- Responding to feedback from families and practitioners about what is needed to reduce levels of serious youth violence.
- For example, leveraging local and national good practice in relation to adulthood.
- Find creative ways to work together in equal partnership with communities and families.
The report also called on the Croydon Child Protection Partnership (CSCP) to highlight the national issues raised in its reviews, including the Child Protection Practice Review Panel.
Response from Croydon Partnership
In response to the report, CSCP Executive Chair Debbie Jones said: These tragic events.
“Most of the children in this review have received extensive support from a young age and over many years from a wide range of professionals. Many examples are highlighted, however, where the assistance provided did not change their outcome.
“A lot has changed since children first learned about statutory services 10 years ago, but there is still much we can learn from these tragedies, not just in Croydon but across the country. will share this review and 10 key principles to reduce violence nationally. In Croydon, we will work with the community to develop an action plan and take this important learning forward. ”