Social Work — What Went Wrong? The Beckford Inquiry

Abstract

On December 3, 1985, the Report of the Panel of Inquiry into the Circumstances surrounding the Death of Jasmine Beckford, A Child In Trust, was published by the London Borough of Brent.^** It aroused immense public response, for Jasmine Beckford was, like other children before her, in particular Maria Colwell, in the care of a local authority and specifically the client of the social workers of its social services department. The practice of social work, its educational base and the legal and administrative arrangements for children in care have never been subject to such close scrutiny in Australia, nor has social work been the focus of such intense public furore in this country. This is no reason for complacency however, for there are substantial lessons to be learnt from the Beckford Inquiry which cannot be ignored. Good intentions, good legal and administrative arrangements are simply insufficient to protect children at risk.