Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews

Two people sat looking at a clipboard with a report on it. The updated statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children published in 2018 introduced Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews (CSPRs) to replace Serious Case Reviews (SCRs) as a method of reviewing serious child safeguarding cases.

When do CSPRs take place?

CSPRs should take place if a child abuse or neglect is known or suspected in a case and a child has died or been seriously harmed, and there is cause for concern about how the authority or other organisations or professionals worked together to safeguard the child.

Locally, safeguarding partners must make arrangements to identify and review serious child safeguarding cases which, in their view, raise issues of importance in relation to their area. They must commission and oversee the review of those cases, where they consider it appropriate for a review to be undertaken. In Wandsworth the responsibility for this rests with the Local CSPR Sub Group

Purpose

The purpose of these reviews at both local and national level is to identify improvements to be made to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Learning is relevant locally, but it has a wider importance for all practitioners working with children and families. Reviews should seek to prevent or reduce the risk of recurrence of similar incidents.

Publication

Working Together 2023 states:

Reports should be completed and published within six months of the date of the decision to initiate a review. Where other proceedings may have an impact on or delay publication, for example, an ongoing criminal investigation, inquest or future prosecution, the panel should advise the Secretary of State of the reasons for the delay. The panel should also set out for the Secretary of State the explanation for any decision not to publish either the full report or information relating to improvements. During the review, the panel should share any points that arise about improvements needed with the safeguarding partners in any local authority areas covered by the review and others as applicable. (Chapter 5 – Working Together 2023)