1. Unit 3 Providing safe environments for children
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited

2. LO4 Understand the purpose of serious case reviews.
AC 4.1 Explain why serious case reviews are required.
AC 4.2 Analyse how serious case reviews inform practice.
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited

3. LO4 Understand the purpose of serious case reviews [AC 4.1, 4.2]
Time: 15 mins
Do you feel you have ever been let down due to poor communication?
Consider:
The cancellation of an appointment or meeting and no one telling you
Someone not passing on important information for you
Someone not passing on important information to you
What are the possible effects of these situations?
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited

4. LO4 Understand the purpose of serious case reviews [AC 4.1]
The Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) will call for a serious case review if a child dies and abuse or neglect is suspected or known to be the cause.
A serious case review will expect each service involved to review its own practices to examine whether any changes need to be made.
This review will enable everyone to identify whether there are any lessons to be learned from the case.
A serious case review does not intend to find out who is to blame for the death or serious injury.
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited

5. Agencies involved in serious case reviews
LO4 Understand the purpose of serious case reviews [AC 4.1]
Agencies involved in serious case reviews
Police
Health
Local authority
Education
Social services
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited

6. Information to be shared How to share information
LO4 Understand the purpose of serious case reviews [AC 4.1]
Time: 15 mins
How should agencies communicate effectively to share concerns about a child and family?
Consider:
Information to be shared
How to share information
Effective record keeping
Roles and responsibilities.
Teacher notes:
Learners should consider the difficulties faced by agencies that are not all under one roof.
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited

7. Why do you think it is important to hold serious case reviews?
LO4 Understand the purpose of serious case reviews [AC 4.1]
Time: 20 mins
Why do you think it is important to hold serious case reviews?
Consider:
The role of each agency or organisation
Lessons to be learnt
Impact on future practice.
Teacher notes:
Learners should discuss the benefits of all agencies coming together and the benefits to everyone involved.
Useful resources:
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited

8. A serious case review will inform practice. This may include:
LO4 Understand the purpose of serious case reviews [AC 4.2]
Serious case reviews
A serious case review will inform practice. This may include:
Sharing information
Improvements in communicating
Early identification of a child in potential danger or at risk of serious harm
Effective and accurate record keeping of all events that are causing concern
Clear roles and responsibilities
Working in partnership with parents and agencies that may be involved with the family.
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited

9. Police were criticised for not investigating suspicious injuries.
LO4 Understand the purpose of serious case reviews [AC 4.2]
The case of ‘Baby P’
Baby P died in 2007 after months of abuse. In 2009 a serious case review stated that Baby P was failed by all agencies involved.
All three children living in the house at the time were on the Local Authority’s child protection register.
The GP did not raise concerns after bruising was found on Baby P’s head and chest.
Police were criticised for not investigating suspicious injuries.
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited

10. The case of ‘Baby P’ (cont’d)
LO4 Understand the purpose of serious case reviews [AC 4.2]
The case of ‘Baby P’ (cont’d)
The school attended by Baby P’s siblings did not share information about concerns over the mother.
Social workers and their managers did not think he was being harmed or at risk of harm.
No agency involved realised that a man with known violent tendencies was living in the house.
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited

11. The need to share any concerns with all agencies involved
LO4 Understand the purpose of serious case reviews [AC 4.2]
Time: 15 mins
Discuss how the following points raised from a serious case review will support improvement of practice in safeguarding.
The need to share any concerns with all agencies involved
Clearly written, accurate and detailed reports of any concerns
Clear lines of reporting and responsibility.
Teacher notes:
For each point learners are to show how this will improve practice with regard to the safeguarding, welfare and protection of all children.
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited

12. LO4 Understand the purpose of serious case reviews [AC 4.2]
Time: 15 mins
After the serious case review into the death of Baby P, the head of children’s services for his local authority was removed from her post. The post was to be covered temporarily until a suitable replacement could be found.
Analyse the possible reasons behind this and the impact on other cases.
Teacher notes:
Learners should discuss the positives and negatives of removing the head at that time.
Discuss the consequences of a new person taking over and what that says about the previous head.
Discussion can also be had about the impact it will have on people’s confidence of the systems in place.
Useful resources:
Baby P resources
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited

13. In this lesson we learnt that:
Serious case reviews are held to reflect on the situation and make recommendations for improvements in practice.
Serious case reviews do not look for who is to blame for the death or serious injury.
All agencies involved in safeguarding need to respond to lessons learned from a serious case review.
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited

14. When does a serious case review take place?
Who may be involved in a serious case review?
Describe two improvements in practice that may arise from a serious case review.
© Hodder & Stoughton Limited