Poor child protection and safe guarding measures have been criticised in a second report on services in Pembrokeshire.

Improvements must be made at agencies which have “not always worked effectively to protect children from abuse from professionals”

the review states.

The joint report carried out by five inspectorates – Estyn, Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW), Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW), HM Inspectorate of Probation (HMIP) and HM Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) – followed a scathing report published earlier this year.

The findings of the latest report, published on November 22nd, will be used by the Wales Audit Office during its “special investigation” at County Hall.

Points highlighted include the Local Safeguarding Children Board’s (LSCB) “articulated understanding of the child protection agenda” in early 2011, but it was considered to be “only at an early stage of developing a shared understanding of safeguarding.”

The LSCB must also end the practice of “judging allegations of professional abuse against a ‘threshold of significant harm’, before undertaking a robust investigation of what is alleged to have happened”.

The recording of multiagency strategy meetings was also criticised, while risk assessments across all agencies were found to be weak. Issues were raised about too much reliance on trust when ensuring individual providers have put appropriate measures in place.

Imelda Richardson, chief inspector of CSSIW, said: “The inspection found that generally, the multi-agency response to allegations of professional abuse was not sufficiently child-focused, and we have identified several key improvements that are necessary.

“Inspectors did note some positive factors – most notably a willingness to work together between some individual practitioners and professionals.”

Pembrokeshire County Council has received the report and noted its comments, a spokesman said.