interagency cooperation

Blueprint for the Processing of Children’s Hearings Cases : Inter-agency Code of Practice and National Standards

The Time Intervals Working Group was set up in 1997 to report on the processing of cases through the children’s hearings system. Following wide consultation, the first Blueprint, containing a Code of Practice and associated standards and targets, was published in March 1999. The objective was to identify and minimise areas of inconsistency, duplication and unnecessary delay at key points within the system, so that children at risk have their needs addressed effectively at an early stage.

Safeguarding children : a joint Chief Inspectors' report on arrangements to safeguard children

The government made a commitment in the 1998 White Paper 'Modernising Social Services' to put in place new arrangements to commission from all of its Chief Inspectors of services involved with children a joint report on children’s safeguards.

This is the first of those reports and draws on the findings of a wide range of inspection activity undertaken by individual inspectorates. In addition, a joint inspection was undertaken to address inter-agency arrangements for safeguarding children.