This national review was initiated in the context of widespread public distress about the deaths of Arthur Labinjo‑Hughes and Star Hobson. Following the two murder trials, the review examined the circumstances of their deaths and considered whether these murders reflected wider national issues in child protection. Understandable questions were asked about why children experienced such gross abuse and suffering when they were seemingly in ‘plain sight’ of public agencies.
The review contends that multi‑agency arrangements for protecting children are more fractured and fragmented than they should be. It sets out an approach for fundamental change in child protection in England. Published in May 2022, many of the recommendations in this review have since been taken forward by the Government in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.