‘Seeing Beyond the Surface’ : A pan-Merseyside review of childhood and adolescent neglect
The WSCP Independent Scrutineer Dr Andy Gill joined colleagues to deliver a presentation for multi-agency partners ,“Seeing Beyond the Surface”, which explores learning from a Pan-Merseyside review of childhood and adolescent neglect, including analysis of neglect data, local strategies and a multi-agency audit.
Key findings highlighted the importance of effective multi-agency working, understanding children’s lived experiences, recognising cumulative harm, and distinguishing poverty-related hardship from neglect. The review identified strengths in collaborative safeguarding practice, alongside areas for development in assessment quality, information sharing, educational inclusion, and whole-family approaches.
The presentation emphasises the need to act early, name neglect clearly, keep the child’s daily lived experience at the centre of practice, and use coordinated multi-agency interventions to achieve sustainable change and better outcomes for children and young people. The findings will inform the review of the WSCP neglect strategy, Cherish Cherish-Wirrals-Neglect-Strategy-23-26