Cross-party MPs have written to the newly appointed Education
Secretary, , raising serious concerns about the failures in
leadership at Solihull and Bradford Councils, following the
murders of Star Hobson and Arthur Labinjo-Hughes in 2020.
Following an accountability
hearing with the Chief Executives and Interim Directors
of Children’s Services at both Solihull and Bradford Councils in
June this year, the Committee condemned the 'inadequate' response
of local authority leaders and called on the Department for
Education and Ofsted to assess the progress made at both councils
within the timeframes set out by the Councils’ Executives.
Highlighting a 'clear deterioration' in standards at both
Children's Services, predating the pandemic, under both Chief
Executives' tenures, the letter asks Malthouse to consider
whether the leaders are 'capable of continuing to try and
establish significant change'.
The MPs also question the urgency with which the National Child
Safeguarding Review Panel has sought to push forward improvements
at the failing Councils. While a new Multi-agency Safeguarding
Hub system is put forward as the silver bullet for future
shortcomings, the Committee expresses concerns that such an
approach would shift accountability between agencies, leaving no
one person ultimately responsible for vulnerable children like
Arthur and Star.
Chair's comments
Chair of the Education Select Committee, MP, said:
"The deaths of Arthur and Star were harrowing. Both Bradford and
Solihull Councils' Children's Services were in dire need of
improvements even before the lockdowns. Action was not taken, and
two children lost their lives.
The new Education Secretary must prioritise the vulnerable
children currently being failed by these authorities and take the
steps to ensure targets for improvement are being met, and fast.
There must be accountability, and it is essential that the
leaders responsible for the most at-risk children in our society
are up to the job."
