When Tory outsourcing and cuts end in fatal social services errors

The killing by violent men of two little children in Northamptonshire is shocking and distressing (Social services accused of failing toddlers murdered in their homes, 6 June). As Patrick Butler notes, the context for children’s services in the county was of disarray with great difficulty in recruiting and retaining social workers. Amid council funding cuts this is a national crisis. But Northamptonshire has been exceptional. The Conservative council has been in the vanguard of outsourcing services and intended to do so for its social services.

Rather than focusing on frontline practice it has been distracted by concentrating on an ideologically driven commitment to distance itself from providing services. Unfortunately nothing has changed. The government is now requiring that the two councils to replace the county council should set up an independent company for children’s services. It will be costly, disruptive, time- and attention-consuming, and lead to greater complexity and confused accountability. For the next two years and beyond there will be continuing churn and chaos. What instead is needed is a concentration on building a stable workforce with managers focused on what is happening to children and families.
Dr Ray Jones
Emeritus professor of social work, Kingston University and St George’s, University of London

• Patrick Butler highlighted the “systemic weaknesses” of Northamptonshire social services. Citing as he does the chaos in Northamptonshire’s child protection services; a chronic shortage of experienced social workers in turn contributed to warning signs being missed. Between 2015 and 2016, 47 social work team managers were dismissed; not a cheap event but obviously one which the council decided was worth the cost.

The 47 mangers included someone I was at college with in 1991. Initially an educational welfare officer, my friend, on qualifying, continued to work in the Northamptonshire area, becoming a competent team manager. It was a life-altering experience to be cast adrift in order to curtail budgets, an unbelievable waste of talent, years of experience (mentoring younger newly qualified social workers) and safeguarding gone at a stroke.

I agree with Patrick Butler’s analysis of the effect of the cuts and how in fact they have not saved money. Taxpayers, myself included, now have to foot the cost of prison sentences, raising the question “wouldn’t a compassionate society have insisted that prevention was a cost worthwhile?” Austerity is too expensive and as a society we should be ashamed that we continue to be inured to the costs that fall on the vulnerable in our society.
Joan Anthony
East Leake, Leicestershire

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