Jo Fisher, the Executive Director of Children’s Services at Hertfordshire County Council, is not impressing.
Last week your author published an article here about social services in Hertfordshire, identifying concerns that had been raised in multiple rulings by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman as well as concerns I identified (some of which the Council, to be fair, admitted – albeit seeking to minimise). These were systemic failings which could put children at risk and had led to harm to children (for example, the Ombudsman had awarded one family £15,000 in compensation).
One concern I raised was that the council had told me members of the public should use a particular email address or phone number to make child protection referrals / raise child protection concerns. I pointed out the email address was not in fact clearly advertised to members of the public on the council’s website, only at the end of a form for professionals.