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Council chief executives have pledged to hold education secretary Ed Balls to his promise to fund social work properly. The Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE) warned the issue was vital to improving child protection, following publication of Lord Laming's review of social services after the Baby P case. Kent CC chief executive Peter Gilroy, speaking for SOLACE, said: ‘The spending commitments undertaken in recent weeks as part of the government's response to the banking and economic crisis will mean cuts in important public services. ‘The secretary of state has unequivocally said he will properly and fully fund the future of safeguarding children – we will hold him to that promise. This issue of resourcing was conspicuous by its absence in the first Laming Report.' SOLACE called for the Government to reduce ‘the tick-box-screen-staring bureaucracy' that is too prevalent in social work. It followed Lord Laming's call for a step change in leadership and practice to achieve it. At national level, the Department of Health was urged by the peer to pressure Strategic Health Authorities and PCTs to formalise performance indicators. Child protection is also set to be included in the National Indicator Set and Local Area Agreements. He also made guarded criticism of Ofsted: ‘I think there are some really serious issues that need to be addressed by Ofsted and by some of the other inspectorates. The inspection of front line social services is quite different from schools.' Chief executives were also warned they had the highest responsibility. ‘You are the most senior employees of the organisation and it is your responsibility that the organisation works efficiently and effectively,' Lord Laming said. ‘Your position is very important in ensuring service delivery.'

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WHITEHALL

SOLACE calls for safeguarding cash

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