'˜Herculean' efforts protecting children

Isabelle Trowler was the special guest at an event this month celebrating the achievements of Hertfordshire County Council’s new service protecting vulnerable children.

She heard about the success of the council’s pioneering multi-disciplinary child protection service over the last 12 months.

This has seen Hertfordshire radically reform its approach to child protection. Children’s social workers have sat beside professionals in mental health, drug and alcohol misuse and domestic abuse to focus on resolving the parents’ issues that place children at risk of significant harm.

Isabelle Trowler said: “The Herculean effort that Hertfordshire has made along with the partnership in the last 18 months to implement this innovation project across such a large geographical area, is so impressive.

“The incredible outcomes as evidenced by the evaluation study (when it comes out) will ricochet around the social care planet in England.

“It is so important that we learn from what they have done. The impact this overarching care framework in child protection might have on the national system could be quite profound. I think Hertfordshire might just be our national treasure.”

> For help and advice on family safeguarding, visit www.hertsfamilysafeguarding.co.uk