The best way to implement Lord Laming's report into child protection is to employ more frontline professionals, such as social workers and health visitors, Unite, the largest union in the country, said .

Unite said it was 'an immense sadness' that nine years after the death of eight-year old Victoria Climbie - prompting the first Laming report containing 108 recommendations - there was still so much more room for improvement in child protection services.

Unite, which embraces the Community Practitioners' and Health Visitors' Association, has been campaigning strongly for more health visitors to provide a high quality universal service, so that early signs of child abuse can be detected more swiftly.

At present, every 27 hours a full-time health visitor job is lost, according to the NHS's own workforce statistics.

Obi Amadi, Unite's Lead Professional Officer, Policy & External Affairs welcomed a key recommendation in the review which urged the Department of Health to prioritise recruiting and training more health visitors to support very young children.

Obi Amadi said: 'Another recommendation that needs prompt action is the production of new national guidelines setting out maximum case loads for social workers. This figure could be used to inform the optimum number of children for each health visitor which is also essential.'

'I have mixed emotions - on one hand, immense sadness that Lord Laming's admirable services had to be called on once more, coupled with the fervent hope that this time all involved - government, local authorities, and NHS trusts - move quickly to implement the recommendations.'

'One of the best ways of doing this is to recruit, properly train and retain health visitors for the long-term. It is only by having sufficient numbers on the frontline that the necessary improvements will be achieved. These professionals are often engaged in very challenging work and need the continued support.'

'Unite and its members are willing to do everything possible to achieve the practical vision set out today by Lord Laming.'

'One thing the country will not tolerate is that if Lord Laming, a few years down the line, is called on again to produce a third report. We have to get it right this time - children's lives depend on it.'

Unite Health Sector web page: unitetheunion/health

Unite/CPHVA press releases can be seen on the CPHVA website: unitetheunion/cphva

Unite is the largest union in the UK. It has seven professional sections: the Community Practitioners' and Health Visitors' Association, the Mental Health Nurses Association, the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists, the Society of Sexual Health Advisers, the Medical Practitioners' Union, College of Healthcare Chaplains, and the Hospital Physicists Association.

Unite was formed by an amalgamation of Amicus and the Transport and General Workers' Union in May 2007.

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