Report probes DHSC service users' complaints

Govt action plan aims to improve case handling

An investigation into the handing of vulnerable children cases in the Island has acknowledged that weaknesses exist in practices, and that politicians and senior officials need to show greater leadership.

The 18-month long probe, ordered by Tynwald in Spring 2016, has been authored by the Independent Chair of the Island's Safeguarding Children Board.

Paul Burnett examined nine cases in which service users (DHSC Children and Family Services) complained about their treatment at the hands of authorities. The cases were submitted as evidence of allegations, after former Onchan MHK Peter Karran publicly raised the issue in Tynwald.

In his report, Mr Burnett admitted he had only scrutinised a small number of cases, but described that process as "a window on the system", looking at the broader picture.

The aim was to discover why relationships between the service and clients deteriorated, and to look at the environment in which staff operated.

Complaints included accusations that social workers had pre-conceived ideas about cases, were 'inflexible' and 'oppressive' towards parents, frequently moved the goalposts, and too quickly made decisions about placing children in foster care, or putting them up for adoption.

An action plan has been drawn up by the government in response to Mr Burnett's report.

Among its suggestions - incorporating feedback from parents in case studies, drafting a new 'relationship protocol' across agencies and departments, bringing fathers into the decision-making process, and commissioning further training.

The plan also calls for the complaints procedure to be updated after it was found a review body designed to provide an independent complaints function, didn't achieve that.

This month's sitting of Tynwald will be asked to receive the report and approve the actions now proposed to tackle identified weaknesses in the system.