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Paragraphs: 7.28 - 7.32
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7.28
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However, what is clear is that the handling of Victoria's case
by the family centre provides another example of the importance
of adequate record-keeping and supervision of cases. For reasons
that it is unnecessary for me to rehearse, the importance of recording
and monitoring action taken in response to a referral concerning
a vulnerable child cannot be overstated.
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7.29
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The NSPCC is not one of the agencies covered by the Terms of Reference
of this Inquiry. Nonetheless, it is clear that through the work
of the family centre for which it was responsible, the NSPCC did
have some involvement with Victoria's case, by virtue of which it
may have had an opportunity to have made a material difference to
its outcome. In view of this, I am grateful for the assistance provided
to the Inquiry by the NSPCC.
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7.30
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That assistance included the making of a closing submission by
its director, Mary Marsh. During the course of that closing submission
she addressed the issue of the adequacy of the manner in which the
handling of Victoria's referral was recorded and supervised by the
family centre. In my view, she put the matter very fairly when she
made the following statement in relation to the handling of Victoria's
case after its allocation to Ms Henry on 13 August 1999:
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"The record thereafter is inadequate and incomplete with no
evidence of immediate action despite the recognition of the urgency
in the original indication. Regrettably, the only evidence we have
is the undated note on the file made by the practice manager, that
she was told in a phone call with Haringey Social Services that
the family had moved away, with no date recorded or recalled."
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There are serious issues here about the inadequate maintenance
of records and the supervision and monitoring [of] the progress
of cases and referrals, which we recognise and we accept are our
fault in this case. It should not have been possible for this referral
to have been left without any follow up, apparently for so long."
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7.31
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Ms Marsh went on to make a further point in this regard with which
I also agree. She explained how a necessary result of the careful
and accurate recording of referrals once they have been received
by an organisation such as the family centre, is that the referrers
themselves act in a consistent and regulated manner. Vague telephone
referrals, unconfirmed in writing, such as the one made by Mr Almeida,
make the job of all concerned far more difficult than necessary.
I also heard evidence to suggest that this was merely one of several
ways in which referrals were made to the family centre.
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7.32
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If the involvement of the family centre in Victoria's case illustrates
anything, it is that the valuable work of organisations such as
this can be seriously undermined by a lack of basic systems and
processes. It is vital that all those involved in the protection
of children adopt a rigorous and professional attitude to their
work if important opportunities to help children in Victoria's situation
are not to be missed.
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