On 18 March 2024, the Herefordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership published a Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review called “Child HN” following a serious incident related to the child’s diabetes. While the child made a full recovery, a decision was taken to review agency involvement with the child and family prior to the episode.
A Child Safeguarding Practice Review is completed when a child dies or is seriously harmed and abuse or neglect is known or suspected. This review sought to understand how agencies worked together and with the family, to establish what happened, why it happened, and to identify improvements that will safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
The review was commissioned by the three Safeguarding Partners of the Herefordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership. The three Safeguarding Partners are Herefordshire Council, West Mercia Police and Herefordshire and Worcestershire NHS Integrated Care Board.
Herefordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership accepts the findings and recommendations of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review “Child HN,” which was completed in January 2024 by independent author Sarah Holtom.
The review made recommendations for improvements to systems and practice that will help to prevent a similar event from occurring again. HSCP partner agencies have already started to implement these recommendations. This is monitored by the Joint Case Review Group, which consists of senior representatives from statutory and other agencies across Herefordshire.
Herefordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership said:
“The partnership is fully committed to ensuring that learning from case reviews is implemented and improves practice. We are working together as a partnership to ensure that the lessons learnt from this review result in changes to systems and practice that keep children safe.
“The Safeguarding Partners commissioned this review to understand how we can better respond to the needs of children where there are safeguarding concerns, movement across local authority borders, and complex health needs. We fully accept the recommendations made by the independent author and we will ensure that these lessons are embedded in practice.”
Notes:
“Child HN” is not the real name of the child or family.
Once a review is completed, the report is first sent to the national Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel for comments before it is published. The National Panel have accepted the report and recommendations for LCSPR “Child HN.”
At the request of the Herefordshire Safeguarding Children Partnership all media enquiries will be co-ordinated by Herefordshire Council and should be emailed to communications@herefordshire.gov.uk