There has been a significant rise in child deaths across Merseyside over the past year.
Between April 2021 and March 2022, 104 children lost their lives in the region – an 18% increase on the previous year.
The figures, which show a sharp rise in child mortality across the region, were compiled by the child death overview panel and refer to childhood deaths across Merseyside and the Isle of Man.
READ MORE: Failed armed robber said 'I give up lad' after arrest
They have been published by Sefton Council as part of a Sefton Safeguarding Children’s Partnership annual update report ahead of a meeting of the borough’s overview and scrutiny committee set to meet next week.
According to the report, of the 104 children who died, 19 were related to Sefton with more than half of those deaths being in children under one year of age.
38% of those deaths had “modifiable factors” which are risk factors associated with increased mortality rates. These included the BMI of the mother, smoking and smoking in pregnancy and unsafe sleeping practices.
An annual review of the child death overview panel for 2021/22 has yet to be completed, but is set to be published in due course, providing more detail into the circumstances and breakdown of child deaths across the region.
The Sefton Council safeguarding report also includes details of the work being carried out to protect some of the borough’s most vulnerable children.
The report details a range of “systemic and long standing” issues with safeguarding in the borough including around “working cultures” and inconsistent practices.
Audits that have been carried out demonstrate problems with “drift and delay” with issues in how child exploitation cases are managed including situations were cases were being closed without proper consultation and where concerns remained, as well as the impact of changes n social workers affecting the progression of cases and decisions.
Issues with children in need activities were also criticised for “drift and delay” as well as a failure to “step up” concerns when appropriate and a lack of proper record keeping.
For children subject to child protection plans, “drift and delay” was described as a “significant feature” of what was found during audits, with children’s views not taken into account properly, “inconsistent” child protection planning and a lack of challenge to decisions being made.
The report concludes that Sefton has faced “unplanned challenges” in relation to safeguarding and will be focused on improvements in the coming year. It adds hopes that a new structure and strategic leadership team will “strengthen and support the safeguarding agenda” alongside the appointment, in early 2022 of an independent scrutineer.
In comments made by the independent scrutineer Elizabeth Murphy about the annual safeguarding report, Ms Murphy refers to “significant gaps or barriers” in the borough’s approach to safeguarding vulnerable children.
She also expressed concerns that the annual report provided by the partnership does little to address what actions need to be taken to improve things – nor are there any details of any actions already taken – in respect of the audit findings. She added, however: “The report is transparent in reporting that this work has not progressed as required..”
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
READ NEXT
'Fit and healthy' dad given days to live after suffering stomach ache
Woman suffered 15 years of agony before excruciating pain diagnosed
Odds on coldest March ever slashed as Met Office warns of chilly start to month
Labour Party paid for lawyers for councillors involved in parking probe
Scouse teen wows Paris tourists as she performs with buskers in front of Eiffel Tower
