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Single agency for high-risk children

Southport Inquiry · The Southport Inquiry Report: Phase 1 · Issued 13 April 2026 · Addressed to: Southport Inquiry Phase 2

Government responseNot for the government: for Phase 2 of the Inquiry

DeliveryFor Phase 2 of the Inquiry to consider

Recommendation, verbatim from the inquiry

●Inquiry recommendation

Phase 2 should consider what single agency or structure should be appointed or established to record, monitor and co-ordinate interventions for children and young people who present a high risk of serious harm. This must be matched with cultural change so that agencies are prepared to own and manage risk appropriately not just refer it on to others.

Southport Inquiry, The Southport Inquiry Report: Phase 1 · 13 Apr 2026 Source PDF →

Published evidence summary

AI-generated evidence summary

The Inquiry asked Phase 2 to consider establishing a single agency for high-risk children. In an April 2026 press release, Stephanie Roberts-Bibby, Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Board, noted the recommendation for a lead agency to be considered in Phase 2 (Stephanie Roberts-Bibby, Apr 2026). She stated in April 2026 that the board fully supports clearer ownership of risk, adding that this must be reinforced by professional curiosity and responsibility (Stephanie Roberts-Bibby, Apr 2026).

Sources

AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 17 Oct 2026.

Government response

This recommendation is for Phase 2 of the Inquiry to consider, so no government response to it is expected.

Delivery

This recommendation is for Phase 2 of the Inquiry to consider. It is not addressed to the government or another body, so there is no delivery to report.

What other bodies have found

In their own words. These do not change the delivery statement above.

●Youth Justice Board for England and Wales · 13 Apr 2026

One of the recommendations is for a lead agency to be considered as Phase 2 of the Inquiry. We fully support clearer ownership of risk but this must be reinforced by professional curiosity and responsibility.

From: YJB response to the publication of the Southport Inquiry report, Stephanie Roberts-Bibby, Chief Executive, Youth Justice Board

Site note: Stephanie Roberts-Bibby, Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Board, on the day the Phase 1 report was published. Recommendation 1 is for Phase 2 of the Inquiry to consider; the Board is not its addressee, so the row is marked noted.

How this page is built

The recommendation and the government responses are verbatim from primary documents. Delivery statements and other bodies' findings are shown in their own words, each with its source. The summary is written by this site and labelled as such. The Index does not paraphrase sources or characterise intent; it records what has been published.