Liberal Democrats in Haringey have welcomed the publication of the Government’s Green paper on child protection but have warned that there are still serious concerns about Haringey Council’s ability to protect the rights of children. They say the Council is still wedded to secrecy and that this is hampering child protection work six months after the publication of Lord Laming’s Report into the death of Victoria Climbie.

Lib Dem Social Services Spokesperson Cllr Ron Aitken revealed that a report by NCH Action for Children, which provides a Children’s Rights service for Haringey children in care, indicates serious shortcomings in the Council’s ability to protect the rights of children. Labour executive member for Social Services had sought to keep this secret.

Cllr Aitken won a significant freedom of information victory by writing to the Council’s legal team demanding that the key report, which was discussed at a meeting of Councillors on 17 June, should be a public document. They confirmed that the public should be able to access the Report on 11 August.

Among the findings identified by NCH were;

* There is a gap in rights provision for young people leaving care who are aged 18 to 23 – under the Children Leaving Care Act they are entitled to support – but Haringey has only contracted NCH to act for children up to 18.

* NCH has “not been given the opportunity as yet to work at a strategic level within the Council for better implementation of children’s rights”.

* There has been no direct access to Harinet and getting contact details of children looked after has been difficult, as well as contacting social services staff by e-mail.

* NCH have been hampered by lack of resources from working with children in care who are placed outside Haringey.

Cllr Ron Aitken comments:

“I pay tribute to NCH for the work they are doing in Haringey. This report indicates six months after Laming that Haringey’s obsession with secrecy is undermining children’s rights. Basic sharing of information is simply not happening. It is also disgraceful that for political reasons Labour politicians sought to stop the report from being made public”.