About us
This site has been assembled by contributors to Chosen and other former pupils of Caldicott School who are concerned at the poor welfare legislation which exists, and the welfare inspections and reports undertaken by the Schools Inspectorates which are charged with this undertaking.
We are not “a pressure group”, merely a collection of individuals who share a common interest in child welfare and protection in education. We work on these matters in our own time and at our own cost.
What we have been requesting of Government
We want it to be a statutory obligation on all institutions to report alleged abuse to the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer).
We wish the DCSF to make it mandatory for the Schools Inspectorates to feature the number (as a digit only) of Notifications that have been returned by each school under the Education Acts to the DCSF in each of their Inspection Reports. With this number featured, the Inspectorates hold the Notifications on their file and will inspect against those incidents and state in their Inspection Reports that they have satisfied themselves that any and all failures which resulted in the incident occurring has/have been addressed and that the Inspector is satisfied that there is little likelihood of such events recurring in similar circumstances. The only change being requested is the “Notification” digit appearing in Inspectorates Reports. Otherwise this is what the Inspectors are meant to be doing anyway, but there is no evidence of this being delivered, unfortunately.
We have been asking for these things for some years. The proposals would achieve several key improvements:
The child whose abuse is discovered contemporaneously will have the opportunity of being assessed by Social Services which will give him/her a much improved chance of recovery from the trauma. Presently this is not guaranteed.
The Inspectorate reports will become reliable welfare documents which they are not today. Parents have nothing else to rely on, which is why it is so important for the Child Welfare Inspection procedures to be followed correctly and that these matters are fully and properly dealt within the Inspection Reports.
Beverley Hughes MP, Minister for Children, Young People and Families, and predecessors, has on multiple occasions refused to meet with any of our number, which included a Director of Children’s Services who shares many of these concerns.
Mr Kevin Brennan MP is a junior Minister with particular responsibility for Safeguarding Children. He has also serially refused to meet and does not acknowledge any shortcomings in the matters that have been raised with him.
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