Minister: We cannot stop evil against children but review can help limit cases

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} Major reforms to children’s social care will not “prevent evil” but offer an opportunity to limit the number of tragic cases, an education minister has said. Labour said the Government’s response so far would not deliver the “transformation in children’s social care that the review demands”. Shadow education minister Helen Hayes said: “This review represents an opportunity to deliver the total reset that is needed in children’s social care, it’s an opportunity that must not be missed and we will hold the Government to account every single day on the framework of support and the outcomes for our most vulnerable children.” Anna Edmundson, NSPCC head of policy, said: “This report, alongside the forthcoming national panel review into the deaths of Arthur and Star, is an opportunity for government to revolutionise children’s social care. “We want to see a child protection system that’s focused on early intervention, and puts children first, and it is clear from the Education Secretary’s pledge to ‘dramatically reform thechildren’s social care system’ that government recognises the scale of the problem.” She called on Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi to “galvanise” fellow ministers to ensure there is the “political will and commitment to urgently turn around children’s social care in England”.