Abstract

In England, the last 20 years has seen a focus on the modernisation of children’s services, building towards an outcome-led dialogue (Frost and Stein, 2009; Davis and Smith, 2012; Mitchell, 2018). Since the 1990s, outcome measures have become key to measuring service quality, concentrating on what has been achieved rather than how (Canavan et al., 2009). The Munro Review of Child Protection in England (2011) reinforced the need for a reform of the child protection system, arguing the system was over-bureaucratic and prioritised compliance. She suggested there should be a learning culture, allowing scope for professional judgement of how best to support families. The review followed a long line of policy initiatives in England that have attempted to address the challenges surrounding child abuse for both the state and for wider society since the 1960s (Parton 1985; 2006). Unlike other reviews, Munro (2011) was not in response to an avoidable child death such as Maria Colwell in 1973 (Secretary of State for Social Services (1974).