Public Inquiry Recommendations

SP51 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

GMMH local structured risk assessment responsibility

At the local level, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust should liaise with all of the relevant community healthcare organisations (including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and Criminal …

- The Department of Health and Social Care stated that it has limited powers to direct NHS Foundation Trusts to implement recommendations 51 and 53, …

SP52 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

National guidance on structured risk assessments

Nationally, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England should review: 1. Whether there is a need for further development and guidance including on the thresholds for when …

- The government stated the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England expect to complete a review of the need for further guidance …

SP53 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

GMMH and Alder Hey joint SMART audit

At the local level, Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust should by no later than 13 October 2026 carry out and report …

- The Department of Health and Social Care stated that the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has written to Greater Manchester Mental …

SP54 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

National guidance on SMART action points

Nationally, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England should consider whether nationwide guidance should be issued on the importance of action points from all relevant meetings involving …

- The government stated the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England expect to complete consideration of national guidance on SMART-compliant recording of …

SP55 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

Community mental health services for violence-fixated children

Phase 2 should consider the ability of community and forensic mental health services to deliver clinical interventions to mitigate the risk from violence fixated children and young people.

- The government stated the Chair identified this recommendation for further consideration by the Inquiry in Phase 2 (Government Response to Phase 1 of the …

SP56 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

Mental health assessment powers for isolated children

Phase 2 should consider whether further legislative change is required to allow mental health clinicians to assess children and young people who are isolated from professional support and may pose …

- The government stated the Chair identified this recommendation for further consideration by the Inquiry in Phase 2 (Government Response to Phase 1 of the …

SP57 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

Agencies to respect school insight on risk

The Home Office (for police forces nationwide) Counter Terrorism Police Headquarters (for Prevent), Department of Health and Social Care (for all healthcare providers) and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local …

- The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026, amending safeguarding arrangements so that designated childcare or education agencies …

SP58 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

KCSIE 2026 safeguarding information transfer

The Department for Education, in finalising the Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance 2026, and in any necessary amendments to other policy and guidance, should ensure that: 1. In cases …

- The Department for Education ran a consultation on proposed revisions to Keeping Children Safe in Education from 12 February 2026 to 22 April 2026, …

SP59 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

Audit of safeguarding information transfer between schools

The Department for Education should carry out an audit to ensure that safeguarding information is reliably being passed between schools and should consider what further role Ofsted may play to …

- The government stated the Department for Education expects to complete a sample audit of schools to assess the reliability of safeguarding information transfer by …

SP60 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

School safeguarding recording systems

The Department for Education should ensure (either by direct guidance or through Ofsted) that all schools are required to record safeguarding information in a system that is fit for purpose.

- Keeping Children Safe in Education, the Department for Education's statutory safeguarding guidance for schools and colleges, requires settings to record safeguarding concerns and referrals, …

SP61 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

LCC education provision and attendance audit

Lancashire County Council should, by no later than 13 October 2026, carry out and report on an audit (preferably involving an experienced independent external member) to review: 1. The speed …

- The government response records that this recommendation requires delivery by an organisation outside central government (Lancashire County Council), that the government has written to …

SP62 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

Guidance on LEA and police visits to absent children

The Department for Education and the Home Office should review whether further guidance and/or minimum guidance is required in relation to local education authority and police visits to children not …

- The Post-16 education and skills white paper sets out initiatives to help young people at risk of becoming NEET into education, training and work, …

SP63 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

Improved school Prevent training

The Department for Education should ensure that (i) its own policy guidance for teachers and schools (outside the Statutory Guidance for which the Home Office is responsible) is strengthened; and …

- The Keeping children safe in education: proposed revisions 2026 consultation ran from 12 February 2026 to 22 April 2026 (Keeping children safe in education: …

SP64 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

Review of school attendance monitoring guidance

The Department for Education should undertake a targeted review, engaging with a representative sample of local authorities, to check both that the current (improved) guidance is now sufficient and understood …

- The government response states the Department for Education is the lead department and expects to complete implementation by late 2026, with regional workshops with …

SP65 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

Remedial steps for failing education authorities

The Department for Education should consider what remedial steps can be put in place to assist in circumstances where, whether through underfunding or underperformance, local education authorities are failing to …

- The SEND reform: putting children and young people first consultation ran from 23 February 2026 to 18 May 2026, set out an intention to …

SP66 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

Guidance for parents of children found with weapons

The Youth Justice Board should ensure that a form of clear practical written guidance is drafted which relevant professionals (social care, healthcare, police, education) can provide to parents of children …

- The Ministry of Justice stated that it supports the Chair's recommendation 66 for the Youth Justice Board to issue written guidance for parents of …

SP67 Accepted

Southport Inquiry (2026)

Law Commission review of duty to warn/report

The Law Commission should be asked to review the merits of legal reform concerning whether specified categories of persons ought to be under a legal duty to warn about, or …

- The government response states the Ministry of Justice is the sponsoring department for the Law Commission, that the Law Commission is engaging with the …