Why is interagency working important in the context of safeguarding children?
To date whilst there has been a general consensus of opinion amongst professionals and policy makers in the field of safeguarding, that effective interagency/ multiagency approaches are needed to safely provide support and identify children at risk of harm. There has been a dearth of research available to evidence when good interagency work has taken place. However more recently audit and evaluation of multi agency safeguarding practices in 37 local authorities in England is beginning to show positive improvement in multi agency working along with improved outcomes for vulnerable children.(this will be discussed later within this essay).
There is however a plethora of evidence to demonstrate the tragic outcomes for children when interdisciplinary working is not effective. The Lord Laming Report (2003) of the Victoria Climbie inquiry identified the need for effective multiagency working arrangements to recognise and respond to abuse of children in England and Wales.
The report highlighted shortfalls in practice across 5 local authorities 2 local hospitals 3 GP practices and 2 police departments, where lack of effective multiagency and interagency working contributed to the ineffectual protection of 8
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The lack of a cohesive approach to safeguarding and apparent lack of individual and organisational responsibility to child welfare mean that this little girl slipped through the cracks and remained largely unnoticed by those who could have helped her. Whilst it is certain Victoria was not the only child suffering from abuse and neglect at the hands of those who should have cared for her. The public interest and media attention surrounding her plight helped to highlight the challenges and shortfalls within interagency safeguarding arrangements at this