Care Inspectorate Wales is leading on the joint review with contributions from Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) and Estyn.
In response to a number of tragic child deaths across England and Wales, Welsh Government invited Care Inspectorate Wales to lead on a multi-agency rapid review of decision-making around child protection. Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) and Estyn are the other inspectorates involved in this work.
The purpose of the review is to determine to what extent the current structures and processes in Wales ensure children are appropriately placed on, and removed from, the Child Protection Register (when sufficient evidence indicates it is safe to do so).
Interim findings
The initial findings have been shaped by feedback from peers in education, police, health, and regional safeguarding boards as well as talking directly to children and young people who are or have been on the child protection register.
Consultation work is ongoing, and the inspectorates are particularly keen to hear more from those children and young people.
The initial findings have shown good practice exists; however this needs to be applied consistently both locally and nationally. The voice of the child must be central to decision making.
Next steps
The inspectorates are encouraging practitioners from across Wales who are involved in safeguarding and child protection to take forward and learn from these early findings, to strengthen work with children and young people in the immediate and longer term.
The full report, which is one of several pieces of work relating to the safeguarding of children, will be published in autumn 2023.
For more information about the rapid review, read this news item on the CIW website.