Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Reaction to national Child Safeguarding Practice Review - The Solihull Observer

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Reaction to national Child Safeguarding Practice Review

Solihull Editorial 31st May, 2022   0

THE DAMNING national report into the death of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes has been welcomed across the borough.

The report, published last Thursday, May 26, called for improvements and measures to be put in place to help children in Solihull and across the country.

Here’s what they said:




Solihull MP, Julian Knight, said: “The report makes it clear that Arthur was let down by several agencies across Solihull. In particular, the fact that images of bruising were not shared correctly due to a lack of multi-agency strategy discussions.

“It is clear that cross-agency relationships need to improve urgently across Solihull.


“Solihull Council has already put in a number of improvements this year as the report highlights.

“Solihull Children’s Services and other agencies like West Midlands Police now need to seriously consider, and implement in full, the recommendations set out in this report to ensure that Solihull can once again have faith and confidence in the system which should be there to protect vulnerable children in our community.”

Claire Bell Assistant Chief Constable at West Midlands Police.

Assistant Chief Constable Claire Bell of West Midlands Police said: “We owe it to Arthur to not miss a single opportunity to learn from what happened to him so we can better protect children in the future.

“We will continue to work with our partners to act on these recommendations, building on the progress we have already made to improve safeguarding for children across the West Midlands.

“This includes investing additional resources into child safeguarding in Solihull, and improving the quality and management of information held on the force records management system to enable us to identify and manage risks more accurately and improve our ability to prevent and investigate crime.”

Nick Page, chief executive at Solihull Council said in a video: “Over the last few months we have had national experts shine a light on what we have been doing in Solihull and understanding how we need to get better, and they have given us some really important areas to sort out.

“Within this they have also seen that our independently-led improvement panel is doing the right thing by bringing all those different people together who have to safeguard and protect our children in Solihull.

“Now is not the time for blame but it is most definitely the time for learning and sorting and also we need to think long and hard about how we support those and how we help those children and you people live happy and safe lives.”

Helen Westerman, NSPCC head of local campaigns, said: “ It’s heart-breaking to know Arthur’s voice went unheard in his final months. This review finally gives Arthur a voice and we must ensure it acts as a catalyst for the fundamental changes needed to child protection in Solihull and across the country.

“It is crucial that all child protection partners in Solihull urgently adopt the local recommendations. But the review tells an all too familiar story of a system struggling to cope. Political will and leadership from the very top of government are now needed to create a system that works to prevent harm and responds decisively to keep children safe in local areas.”

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