Serious Case Review: Inter-professional Working - Baby L

This case study analyzes the serious case review of Baby L, a three-month-old child who suffered severe injuries, examining the failures in inter-professional working across various agencies. The report identifies and compares examples of collaborative practices involving local authorities, NHS, hospitals, police, and social services, highlighting instances where communication breakdowns and negligence led to adverse outcomes. It analyzes how the policy of putting patients at the heart of inter-professional working could have been achieved, offering recommendations for improved information sharing, risk assessment, and the assignment of skilled professionals. The study emphasizes the need for a patient-centered approach to ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable individuals and children, focusing on the importance of inter-agency collaboration and effective communication to prevent future incidents and improve healthcare practices. The assignment also focuses on the importance of a patient-centered approach to ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable individuals and children.

Health and Social Care
Case Study
(Case Review learning in
relation to Baby L)

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Identify and compare examples of inter-professional working in various health and social care
contexts...................................................................................................................................3
Analyse how the policy of putting patients at the heart of inter-professional working can be
achieved in practice................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Health and social care is a critical areas of professionalism and a key concern for
economies and governments of respective regions around the globe. The inter professional
working practices has a key role played in maintaining safety and care within the society against
any form of abuse and irregular behaviour in relation to any patient of any age group. The
present work is a case study review of a Baby L who was admitted in the hospital for serious
injuries just after three months of being born. The history of baby's parents specifically father
was suspicious. As per the case there were many authoritative and administrative bodies were
involved in safety and care of Baby L but somehow they lack their skills and showed
carelessness resulting in suffering and affected well being of the baby. Thus, present report is
revolving around identifying the scenarios where different professional bodies worked
collaboratively for safe keeping of the child. As well as another set of discussion is proceeded by
focusing on how the policy of inter professional working in case of Baby L could be changed
into a successful and well regulated policy. Hence, the interdependence of different agencies and
administrative bodies are discussed and presented as evidence in the assignment underneath.
MAIN BODY
Identify and compare examples of inter-professional working in various health and social care
contexts.
Inter Professional working is defined or can be defined as a process which is
collaborative in nature, where members of varied professionals as well as agencies work together
to accomplish a single goal of providing integrated health and social care services to all patients
and users of those services. The concept and idea of Inter professional working or Inter
Professional Collaborative Practice (IPCP) was emerged and determined in Health and Social
care sector years ago and have been popularised from last decade for addressing the errors in
medical and health sector (Inter professional collaboration in research, education, and clinical
practice: working together for a better future, 2015).
As per World Health Organisation (WHO) (Inter professional collaboration in research,
education, and clinical practice: working together for a better future, 2015) Inter professional
working is determined as a practice which occurs when multiple health professionals of separate
backgrounds meets together with a common motive of rendering comprehensive working to all

in need and offers them the highest quality of care. In the case of Baby L the notion of Inter
professional working is being used and various segments and administrative service provides met
for safeguarding the child even before Baby L was born. There are certain scenarios in which
two or even more agencies are involved in the practice for keeping the baby safe. The
engagement of multiple agencies from varied backgrounds like law, social workers, government,
hospitals and many others were engaged. As per the case of Baby L there are some core groups
and agencies involved which are Local Authority1, CCG, NHS, Trust1, Hospitals, Police,
CAFCASS, Local Authority2 and LSCB Board Office. For elaborating the same and engagement
of these groups some of the examples are as follows.
The first and foremost interaction took place between to agencies according to case study
are of Local Authority 1 and Local Authority 2. When the Baby L was not even born but after
looking over the past of both father and mother of the child the Local Authority 2 was referred
about the case by Local Authority 1 in regards to concerning of Baby L and their half sibling.
The concern was including the past of the father of Baby L as he was an individual with past
records of domestic abuse in past relationship with older children's. He was not given any permit
to stay in contact of his other kids from the past relationship.
Then the next example is of the May 2018, as per the case when the Initial Child
Protection Conference was introduced to case of Baby L. Through which the child even before
the birth was made part of one of their plan that is Child Protection Plan (CPP) and on the other
hand the half sibling was made a subject of Child in Need Plan by Section 17, of CA 1989 act.
The third example is of the same year in summer 2018, which is related to the father of
unborn Baby L. The intervention was made by the Local Mental Health Unit (LMHU) a local
health unit in which the father underwent for a core mental health check-up. Here, the inter
professional working was hindered and was not focused on between the Local Mental Health
Unit (LMHU) and the social worker or any other bodies mentioned as no information regarding
the father's mental health condition and his sufferings from depression was informed to any of
the core group.
Then again before the born of Baby L, the Public Law Outline (PLO) process was
initiated in concerned with the confirmation made by the parents of having a relationship and
living together. The reason behind integrating, Public Law Outline (PLO) into action was due to
the past records of the father of having other 2 children's from past relationships. The Local

Authority 2 made proceedings and placed orders for keeping safety of the 2 children by
preventing them to be in any contact of their father and even return to care rather then in custody
of any of the parent.
Major engagement and integration of several agencies and administrative bodies was
initiated when the baby was born in September 2018. After Baby L was born, the child was
immediately transferred to parents custody. After the child was given up to the parents custody
the family was in close touch and contact with several practitioners belonging to separate
operative segments. Those practitioners are Social workers, health professionals and visitors and
GP's. According to their evaluation and examination conducted during the two months of born
that is October and November, the baby was healthy and growing really well.
Then after a month in November, in another check up the health professional or worker
identified some bruises and marks on Baby L's body and immediately involved the social worker
responsible and shared the information who was visiting to family for regular round up's and on
the very day as well.
After the incident, the parents were give some advise and instructions regarding the
handling and care of baby in the month of December, 2018. In just four days, Baby L was
admitted to the hospital with sever internal injuries which when examined was declared to be
non accidental and occurred in last ten to fifteen days. The case was informed to police and the
social workers responsible that is Children's Social Care (CSC). The investigation was carried on
and both the parents gave implausible and inconsistent explanations on how the baby got such
sever injuries and were arrested as well as, Baby L and other siblings were removed from their
parents care by Local Authorities.
Analyse how the policy of putting patients at the heart of inter-professional working can be
achieved in practice.
In the case of Baby L, there were number of professional bodies and workers performing
their job roles by integrated efforts in order to make the existence of Baby L safe and secured.
The main reason behind engagement of number of administrative bodies together in the case was
because of the past relationships both the parents of Baby L. As per the case and examination
conducted in the section there are number of examples which are mentioned which are related to
the situations in which Inter Professional working practice took place by keeping the baby at the
heart and attaining the motive of well being of Baby L.

As per the examples of most of the situation where multiple bodies integrated and worked
together was a failure as their were negligence in the attitudes of professionals and they missed
number of informations to communicate when required. Hence, the result was harm caused to
Baby L. Thus, it is a very important aspects for professional to be more involves in Inter
professional working and keep the patient at the heart of the process so that the motives and
objectives can be achieved. Hence, as per the case there are certain recommendations given too
which are useful for accomplishing the agenda behind the case and provide the safety and
security required by the child before and after birth.
The first area of improvement which required modification was in the practices of The
Local Authority Children's Services (LACS), as per the case the father's history of past
relationship and kids were not presented. For correction and achievement of the motive the
professional needs to make sure of sharing all information to all engaged professionals in the
case and with the child such as the GP's, mental health workers. Along with it, the social workers
and managers should be responsible for making regular checks with involved agencies and
administrative bodies by taking up Inter professional work practice.
The Local Authority's Children's Services (LACS) is required to assured about the child
protection plans (CPP) and Safeguarding Children Partnerships are well informed and build by
good quality assessment of risks. Moreover, competent and skilled managers as well as
professionals should be assigned to the task of keeping track of all records, provide appropriate
guidance and support to social worker for dealing with the challenges occurring and effectively
managing the scenario.
Moving along, the agencies and professional administrative bodies should be in close
contact with the The Safeguarding Children Partnership (SCP) and made assurance that staff are
skilled, knowledgeable, competent and confident to hold the responsibilities of SCP. The Trust
of NHS and the CCG should also hold responsible for sharing all safeguarding salient
information in regards to the adults of the case. For example, in case of Baby L, the parents
history of past relationships, their children's and mental condition of the father was not paid
enough importance and was not shared. This caused the recklessness and negligent attitude of
workers and led to the failure of the agenda of safekeeping of the children and provide them
appropriate care and safe environment to grow and develop as a strong human being.

Thus, these are some of the recommendations which can be implemented within for
attaining the objectives and agendas of Inter Professional working so as to ensure that the users
of services that is in this case the children and Baby L was kept safe. The patients and sufferer
should be kept at the heart of the policy and working practices in order to perform activities in
best and most favourable manner.
CONCLUSION
The above discussion can conclude the need and importance for integration of work
practices and polices in health and social care sector. In regards to it multiple examples are
determined in which separate individuals with different work backgrounds are involved together
for a common agenda. Moreover, in the end some discussion is conducted over how Inter
Professional working is a beneficial concept for attainment of agendas and offering the best
services to the users of it.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
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address adverse childhood experiences and foster the social and emotional roots of well-
being in pediatrics. Academic pediatrics, 17(7), pp.S36-S50.
Boerma, T. and et. al., 2018. Countdown to 2030: tracking progress towards universal coverage
for reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health. The Lancet, 391(10129),
pp.1538-1548.
Bywaters, P. and et. al., 2018. Inequalities in English child protection practice under austerity: A
universal challenge?. Child & Family Social Work, 23(1), pp.53-61.
Heard-Garris, N. J. and et. al., 2018. Transmitting trauma: A systematic review of vicarious
racism and child health. Social Science & Medicine, 199, pp.230-240.
Howard, S. C. and et. al., 2018. The My Child Matters programme: effect of public–private
partnerships on paediatric cancer care in low-income and middle-income countries. The
Lancet Oncology, 19(5), pp.e252-e266.
Meinck, F. and et. al., 2017. Disclosure of physical, emotional and sexual child abuse, help-
seeking and access to abuse response services in two South African
Provinces. Psychology, health & medicine, 22(sup1), pp.94-106.
Perry, S. E. and et. al., 2017. Maternal Child Nursing Care-E-Book. Mosby.
Online
Inter professional collaboration in research, education, and clinical practice: working together for
a better future, 2015. [Online] Available Through:
<https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4360764//>