The tragic case of Baby P put social services and their role in protecting vulnerable children under the magnifying glass.

Health visitors, doctors and particularly social workers have all been blamed for failing to notice the catalogue of abuse endured by 17-month-old Peter at the hands of his mother, her boyfriend and their lodger.

One of the changes to result from the scandal in the Haringey district of London has been the appointment of independent chairmen to child protection boards across the country.

These boards, which are made up of representatives from services including education, probation, health and social care, work to protect children and young people from abuse and neglect.

According to Professor Nick Frost, who took up the role of chairman of Bradford Safeguarding Children Board last week, it is vital to have someone independent monitoring children’s welfare services.

The child welfare expert, who lectures on the subject at Leeds Metropolitan University, says: “The danger with Haringey was that the person who was running the service was reflecting on a service she had been involved with. I will be able to be totally objective. The independence is absolutely critical.

“I have to be independent of Bradford agencies so I can get an overview and criticise them if they are not delivering for children in Bradford.”

Another effect of the public outcry over Baby P has been a rise in calls to social services. Bradford Council received 6,608 referrals in the year ending June 13, 2009 – up 23 per cent on the previous 12 months.

There are currently 897 children in the district in care, with the number subject to child protection plans peaking at around 400 between June and September.

Across the country, there’s also been a 30 per cent increase in court proceedings regarding children in care, Prof Frost says.

“Each child needs to be looked at individually because each child is unique. It’s hard to say whether an increase or decrease in the numbers in care is good or not,” he says.

After spending eight years working on the ‘front line’ as a social worker, Prof Frost expects his new role to be a challenging one.

He says: “Bradford’s very diverse, with urban and rural areas, indigenous populations and new populations, as well as challenges around poverty and high infant mortality.

“We have got databases that will tell us when we are under average on an issue. If we are doing badly on a particular issue, it’s my job to highlight it.

“I know what it’s like knocking on someone’s door and challenging poor parenting. I like to feel I’m not an ivory tower academic. That’s why I have taken on this challenge; I’m interested in the real world.

“Being a social worker is an incredibly difficult job. They are making difficult decisions every day. Deciding whether somebody is better off at home or in care is incredibly difficult. I’d like the public to realise just how complex that is. There’s always a balance to be had.”

Another challenge facing Prof Frost is the looming threat of cuts to Bradford Council’s £50 million budget for children’s social care in the district.

“There has been 12 years of growth in children’s services. We’re now entering a period of retrenchment. I think there will be cuts whatever party wins the election,” he says.

“I have been very impressed with what I have seen so far. I genuinely think Bradford is doing very well and I am very impressed by the staff and systems.

“I want to continue these high standards, but there will be unexpected things around the corner. We may have problems and things to celebrate.”

It’s our ever-changing society that makes social work even more challenging, Prof Frost says.

He adds: “I love the work I have always done because you just can’t predict what’s going to happen. One change we’ve had to deal with has been the rise in child pornography on the internet. There have also been other changes, like the increase in Eastern Europeans settling in the UK.”

Another development in child welfare in recent years has been the requirement to vet anyone working or volunteering with children or young adults. A proposed new database to contain the details of all adults working with children has received a mixed reaction from welfare groups, with some claiming it is a step too far.

But this is a measure Prof Frost supports. “It must be accurate and protect people’s civil liberties. No child’s ever been protected by a computer; they should be a back-up to the front-line workers.

“Anything that helps the front-line workers should be welcomed.”