Commenting on Monday's report published by the Southport Inquiry, Ann Graham, ADCS President, said:
"First and foremost, our thoughts are with the families and communities whose lives were changed forever by the events in Southport, and they remain at the heart of everything the Inquiry has sought to address. The Inquiry's first report lays bare the details of this tragedy and the devastating consequences for the children and families involved as well as the wider community. It clearly sets out the gaps in guidance, legislation and multi-agency ways of working with vulnerable adolescents with complex and overlapping needs. The Inquiry made a total of 67 recommendations and directors of children's services will want to consider each of them in our own partnerships and we will look to work with government as it develops its response in the coming weeks.
"Whether or not the statutory thresholds for particular kinds of support are met, the Inquiry was clear there is an urgent need for a joined-up partnership approach to sharing information, assessing risk and collectively making decisions. Parents, carers and professionals need more help and support to understand, assess and respond to online harms and a clearer line of sight on the risks that shapes this activity. The Home Secretary has announced new legislation to address the spread of extreme violent content online, this is welcome, but as we have seen in recent years, digital risks and harms evolve quicker than laws and guidance can be written, so this will be just one part of the solution.
"Work with individuals of all ages who are fixated with violence is difficult, and as the Inquiry notes, it requires a response outside of our established ways of working in children's social care, although directors of children’s services have an important role in convening partners and holding them to account. Spotting those at risk is far from straightforward and finding a way to reach out can be difficult, but we must try, the stakes could not be higher."
ENDS
The Association of Directors of Children's Services (ADCS) Ltd is the professional leadership association for Directors of Children's Services and their senior management teams in England.