CONTENTS


OPINION


UPDATE


INTERVIEW


BOOKS


children younger and on the transformation of parenting relationships and skills. At the NSPCC, we are investing in learning


We can’t keep doing the same things; they are not


working and they are not reaching enough children


and evaluation, and we are committed to understanding how interventions improve children’s lives. Many of our programmes are centred on early intervention, including working with parents from pregnancy onwards, helping them to understand their children’s needs as well as addressing issues such as parental mental health, domestic violence and substance misuse. Our independence and scale across 40 locations in the UK gives us a unique opportunity to put into practice existing models and new evidence-based programmes, always rigorously evaluating their effi cacy and sharing what we learn. What has always been true in good child


protection work is the importance of learning from diff erent agencies and disciplines. Medical practice has helped us better


preventive services while meeting the needs of children already in the child protection system? Many organisations and academics are


developing innovative programmes and practices, and eff ecting change. This does not obviate the continued need for good assessments but it does off er up potentially better-targeted support for children. At the NSPCC’s recent conference in


Scotland, A Safer Childhood, A Brighter Future, professionals from local authorities including Renfrewshire, academics from the universities of Aberdeen and Stirling, as well as representatives from voluntary sector organisations shared knowledge and discussed innovation programmes that are being developed to improve outcomes for children, focusing on attachment and child development. East Sussex Council’s focus on early


intervention is another commendable example. Led by the director of children’s services and former ADCS president Matt Dunkley, it shifts the focus to targeting


understand the complex inter-relationship of physiological and neurological development in infants’ brains. This provides crucial insight for social workers on what needs to be right for children from the start of life, and how adverse childhood experiences, including disrupted attachment, can have a lifelong eff ect. It tells us that investment in supporting good parent-child relationships is critical, as is timely decision-making for children when things go wrong. Research and practice innovation must not happen in a vacuum. For real impact, learning needs to be disseminated, and good practice replicated. The College of Social Work plays an important role in sharing research and learning, driving professional development within the workforce and being a valued source of information and discussion. As practitioners, we do the best for children


when we actively engage in dialogue with our colleagues across the sector. Together with researchers and policymakers, we must ensure we are all driving a constant cycle of improvement in our work to prevent child abuse and protect them from harm.


Carol Long is director of services for children and families, NSPCC


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