VIDEO: Young people to help inspect Children's Services

Sunday 30 July 2017

Young people with experience of the Island’s care system are to have their say on whether Jersey's Children's Services are fit for purpose following the publication of the damning Jersey Care Inquiry earlier this month.

The report, which documented more than half a century of abuse and bad practice against children by Island care providers, found that some children “may still be at risk” in Jersey’s care establishments.

Under one of the recommendations of the independent Panel behind the report, which was chaired by Francis Oldham QC, Chief Minister Ian Gorst has now requested an independent inspection of all children’s services.

That will be undertaken by the Jersey Care Commission, an independent entity responsible for the overall assurance of safety and quality of health and social care in Jersey.

Senator Gorst commented: “The Care Inquiry called for truly independent inspection arrangements which will have the confidence of children, staff and the wider public. In order to provide that independence I have asked the Jersey Care Commission, which is itself an independent entity, to lead on commissioning independent inspectors to undertake the necessary work. This will include the Care Commission determining matters such as the scope, timeframe and schedule for inspections, plus the inspection agency to be used. No Minister or government department will play a role in the commissioning process.”

I have asked the Jersey Care Commission to arrange independent inspection of children's services - a recommendation of Jersey Care Inquiry pic.twitter.com/mv0pyK9HmS

— Senator Ian Gorst (@Ian_Gorst) July 24, 2017

Video: In a video published on Twitter, Senator Gorst explained the importance of the independent inspecton. 

Chair of the Jersey Care Commission, Glenn Houston, added: “The Commission welcomes the decision taken by the Chief Minister to request truly independent inspection of children’s services. The Commission is already committed to ensuring that, during its first full year of operation, there will be independent arms-length inspection of children's care homes. It will now also ensure that arrangements are put in place for the inspection of wider children’s services.

“The children’s care home inspections will be carried out by skilled independent inspectors supported by young people who have experienced care.  The inspection will provide opportunities for children and young people to speak privately about their experiences of living in a care home, and will ensure that each care home operates a complaints system that ensures all complaints are properly investigated, outcomes reported and that children and young people are encouraged to speak out. The Commission will apply the same principles to the inspections of wider children’s services”.