Final analysis of serious case reviews for the period 2017-2019

Expressions of interest are sought to undertake the design and delivery of an analysis of Serious Case Reviews (SCRs) initiated in relation to serious child safeguarding incidents for the period 01/04/2017 to 29/09/2019.

SCRs were local statutory inquiries carried out by Local Safeguarding Children Boards. SCRs were commissioned when a child died or suffered serious harm, abuse or neglect was known or suspected and there was cause for concern about how agencies worked together to safeguard the child.

The Children and Social Work Act 2017 introduced new statutory inquiries, called Local Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews. As a result, the analysis of SCRs for period 01/04/2017 to 29/09/2019 will be the final one of a sequence of biennial and triennial analyses of SCRs carried out for the Department since 2003.

The final analysis of SCRs will cover approximately 300 SCRs. This is a significant number of serious child safeguarding incidents to review and the analysis of learning is vital to understanding how to improve services to support and protect the most vulnerable children and families.

The methodology used for previous reviews included both quantitative and qualitative analysis of SCRs, to draw out common themes and learning and identify implications for policy makers and practitioners. We expect this analysis to adopt a similar methodology for the purposes of consistency and comparability.

The work will commence in late February/early March 2021. We expect the project and contract to last until late November 2021.

The previous analysis of SCRs can be found here:

Analysis of serious case reviews: 2014 to 2017 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/analysis-of-serious-case-reviews-2014-to-2017

CLOSING DATE noon 08/01/2021