Reading West MP Martin Salter has secured Ministerial endorsement of improvements in Reading’s children’s care services following a statement made to the House of Commons by Schools Secretary Ed Balls on Lord Laming’s report into child protection following the Baby P tragedy.

In his statement Mr Balls drew attention to the independent performance reviews that are currently underway in Reading and Wokingham. Mr Salter said:-

“It gives me no pleasure that the Secretary of State named in his statement two local authorities in my area-Reading and Wokingham-but does he acknowledge that significant progress has already been made in Reading in improving the safeguarding of children, with Ofsted saying: “Lead councillors and the new chief executive are providing strong leadership by driving through urgent measures to ensure rapid improvement”?”

Mr Balls replied:-

“Reading is one of the authorities where we have sent in our diagnostic team-and I must say that in all the areas where we have done that, there has been real co-operation from the local authority leadership involved. Although the report has not yet come back to Ministers, I know that there is real and substantial engagement from the local authority, and a determination to make sure that any things that need to be changed are changed with speed and determination.”

In addition, Mr Salter drew Mr Balls’ attention to the closure of Reading School of Health and Social Care which provides training for social workers.

Addressing the Chamber last Thursday, Martin Salter slammed “the disgraceful closure of the social work courses at Reading University” which he said could only contribute to any existing problems. Speaking after the debate, Mr Salter said:-

“This is a totally ludicrous situation. Whilst I am pleased at the progress that has been made by Reading and Wokingham, it beggars belief that at a time when local authority Social Service departments need more than ever the support and training that Reading University provides, it has announced been announced that they are to close their School of Health and Social Care. I have previously lobbied Universities’ Secretary John Denham to intervene to save this invaluable service, and I will continue to do so in the light of Lord Laming’s interim findings. It cannot be right that we will see a situation where there is no social work course available in Berkshire.”

Mr Salter was also supported by his Labour colleague Fiona Mactaggart, MP for Slough who said:-

“I welcome the emphasis on training in both Lord Laming’s report and my right hon. Friend’s statement. I also welcome the establishment of a social work taskforce by my right hon. Friend and the Secretary of State for Health, but would it be possible for it to include the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills? Reading university is currently planning to close its social work education department, which means that there will be no such department in the whole of Berkshire. Oxford university has already closed its social work department, as has the London School of Economics. There is a crisis in quality social work education in our universities.”