Committee told social workers lied and ignored emails

Dudley social workers lied and ignored emails councillors were told during an emotional session of a watchdog committee meeting.

Members of Dudley Council’s Social Care and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee heard a hard-hitting account from a member of the public speaking on behalf of families on the estate where he lives.

Kevin Cherrington, chairman of Wollaston Farm Tenants and Residents Association, also wanted answers on why social workers were not obliged to remain at the authority after completing their training.

At the meeting, on December 3, Mr Cherrington said: “I have been lied to, I have been told they are not at work.

“I have emailed them giving specific information and had an email back where they have not even read it; they just sent back ‘Im sorry I can’t give you any information because the case is sensitive’ – I didn’t ask for any information, I passed on information to protect a child.

“When I have had complaints upheld they say they have failed to meet our standards and be assured this will not happen again.

“Yet continually the same thing happened and happened again.”

Mr Cherrington told the committee he had worked with departments at the council for more than 30 years on the TRA and found he got answers from staff on the ground more readily rather than getting ‘some guff from a manager’.

He said: “Whenever I ask a social worker what is causing most of the problems, for the last ten years it is staffing issues.

“People come to Dudley, get the training and then leave straight away to surrounding boroughs which have less of a workload and higher salaries.”

Dudley cabinet member for children, Cllr Wayne Little, said: “We want to make this a place where our workforce feel recognised and rewarded.

“Our job is to make sure they do the best they can do.”

Dudley’s director of children’s services, John Macilwraith, said: “In order to give a good outcome for children we need to recruit and retain the best possible staff and I’m absolutely committed to recruiting the best people for Dudley Council.”

He added he was not willing to discuss specific issues in a public meeting but had spoken to newly qualified staff who said they saw their careers growing in Dudley.

Mr Cherrington was not impressed. He said: “What they say to me is not what they are going to say to the big boss – they are not going to admit they are going to leave.”

Officers and councillors agreed to meet in private with Mr Cherrington to discuss his concerns.

A recent report from Ofsted inspectors found Dudley was hiring more staff in children’s services and said workloads were reducing but remained high.

In response to the report, Cllr Little said: “The incredible dedication and hard work of our officers has been recognised in this report, and I must thank our teams for all they continue to do for families in Dudley borough.

“Ofsted has recognised the strong, cross-party, political and corporate support that we have built for our children’s services, as well as our ongoing ambition to improve and develop the service further.

“Although we are delighted at this outcome, we recognise that there is still more to do, and we will continue to work tirelessly to provide the best possible services for children, young people and families.”