A major review into the circumstances leading up to murder of
Arthur Labinjo-Hughes has been launched by the government to
determine what improvements are needed by the agencies that came
into contact with him in the months before he died.
The government has separately commissioned 4 inspectorates,
covering social care, health, police and probation to undertake
an urgent inspection of the safeguarding agencies in Solihull to
whom Arthur was known.
As part of this inspection, all the agencies tasked with
protecting children at risk of abuse and neglect in Solihull will
be subject to a Joint Targeted Area
Inspection to consider their effectiveness and advise on
where improvements must be made.
In addition to this, the independent, national review will
identify the lessons that must be learnt from Arthur’s case for
the benefit of other children elsewhere in England, to be led by
the National Child
Safeguarding Practice Review Panel.
Together, these two actions will mean a deep, independent look at
Arthur’s case, and the national lessons to be learnt; and a
joined-up inspection of how all the local agencies involved are
working, including how they are working together, to keep
children safe nationally and locally.
The steps announced today include:
-
Commissioning a Joint
Targeted Area Inspection, led jointly by Ofsted, the Care
Quality Commission, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire
& Rescue Services, and HM Inspectorate of Probation. It
will consider where improvements are needed by all the
agencies tasked with protecting vulnerable children in
Solihull, including in how they work together.
-
A national review,
led by the National Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel,
to provide additional support to Solihull Children’s
Safeguarding Partnership. This will effectively ‘upgrade’ the
existing local review, launched shortly after Arthur’s death
in June 2020 and paused while the court case continued.
Education Secretary said:
Arthur’s murder has shocked and appalled the nation. I am deeply
distressed by this awful case and the senseless pain inflicted on
this poor boy, who has been robbed of the chance to live his
life.
I have taken immediate action and asked for a joint inspection to
consider where improvements are needed by all the agencies tasked
with protecting children in Solihull, so that we can be assured
that we are doing everything in our power to protect other
children and prevent such evil crimes.
Given the enormity of this case, the range of agencies involved
and the potential for its implications to be felt nationally, I
have also asked Annie Hudson, chair of the Child Safeguarding
Practice Review Panel, to work with leaders in Solihull to
deliver a single, national review of Arthur’s death to identify
where we must learn from this terrible case.
We are determined to protect children from harm and where
concerns are raised we will not hesitate to take urgent and
robust action. We will not rest until we have the answers we
need.
The national review takes into account the significance and scale
of the circumstances of Arthur’s murder, allowing findings to be
disseminated around the country to improve practice and identify
the lessons that must be learnt. It replaces and builds on the
original Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review – previously
known as Serious Case Reviews – which is overseen by safeguarding
leaders in a local area.
Over the next few days the Department for Education will work
with both the National Panel and the Solihull Partnership to
agree a timeline for publication of the national review, as well
as confirming the full scope of the Joint Targeted Area
Inspection with the agencies involved.
Since 2010, the government has established stronger multi-agency
working, putting a shared and equal duty on police, council and
health services in local areas to work more effectively together
in protecting and promoting the welfare of vulnerable children.
An independent
review of children’s social care is ongoing and is due to
report next year.
Anyone who sees or suspects child abuse, or is worried about a
child known to them, can report concerns to their local
children’s services or by contacting the government-supported NSPCC
helpline, which is for adults or practitioners concerned
about a child or young person.
The letter from the Secretary of State for Education commissioning a Joint
Targeted Area Inspection (PDF, 258 KB, 3
pages) is also available.
