LAs concerned about impact of Baby P case

A NFER report says the impact of the Baby Peter case has led to a drop in staff morale and increased child protection concerns from the public and agencies outside social care departments. The research shows Local Authorities are positive about the future of child protection services, but are calling for more resources to implement the recommendations from the Lord Laming review and Social Work Taskforce: "there is considerable concern about actual or imminent shortfalls in resources, with local authorities paying out substantial sums of money to agencies for staff and children's placements and to the courts". Read more in the Children & Young People Now bulletin.