Haringey ‘still failing’ after Baby P
By Ian Dunt Haringey council has only made “limited” progress since the death of Baby Peter, an official report has found. The Ofsted report, carried out with officials from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, found the tragedy could happen again, since there was still a failure to assess the status of vulnerable children in the […]
Govt pours money into retaining social workers
By politics.co.uk staff The government is pumping £58 million to stop the exodus of social workers from the profession since the Baby P scandal broke. In a series of measures compiled as a response to Lord Laming’s damning assessment of children’s services, children’s secretary Ed balls proposed child protection boards, made up of members of […]
Baby P continues to damage social workers
By politics.co.uk staff The recruitment of children’s social workers continues to face devastating consequences, six months after the court judgement. A survey of councillors in charge of children’s services, published today, reveals three out of five councils are experiencing difficulties in recruiting children’s social workers. Two out of five councils are reporting difficulties retaining the […]
Councils criticise Laming’s report
By Jonathan Moore Council leaders today embraced the spirit of Lord Laming’s recommendations for the protection of vulnerable children but warned of areas of concern which still needed addressing. The response was signed by the Local Government Association (LGA), the Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS), the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives and […]
Lie detectors to be used against sex offenders
By politics.co.uk staff Sex offenders will be forced to take lie detector tests to ensure they are not interfering with children – starting today. The pilot scheme will run in areas in the east and west Midlands for three years, while the government tries to establish its success rate in managing sex offenders. Analysis of […]
Social workers’ image shattered by Baby P case
By politics.co.uk staff The image of social workers has plummeted since the Baby P case hit the headlines, a survey released today has revealed. Forty-two per cent of people said their opinion of child social workers has got worse since the tragic case of Baby P. Fifty-two per cent of people would recommend social work […]
Sex offender pilot expanded
By politics.co.uk staff A controversial scheme allowing parents to check if someone close to their children has a history of sex offending will be expanding. The scheme, which originally operated in Warwickshire, is now in force in Hampshire, Cambridge, and Cleveland. So far, police have received 79 requests for information and disclosed in ten cases. […]
Ed Ball’s Baby P review statement in full
Mr Speaker, in November last year, I commissioned an urgent inspection of children’s services in Haringey following the failure of agencies in that borough to intervene decisively to protect a little boy. And following the Joint Inspectors’ report, I took the immediate actions I judged necessary to protect vulnerable children in Haringey. I also asked […]
Baby P review calls for overhaul of social services
By Alex Stevenson Sweeping reforms across government are needed to improve the safeguarding of children in the wake of the Baby P case, Lord Laming’s review has concluded. A national safeguarding delivery unit reporting directly to Cabinet, more training for frontline social workers and better cross-government integration are among the measures called for. The government […]
Baby P official claims unfair dismissal
By politics.co.uk staff The former director of children’s services who lost her job as a result of the Baby P scandal has lodged an employment tribunal claim against Haringey council. Sharon Shoesmith, 56, was removed from her post without compensation last December after a damming report was published criticising her department’s handling of the case. […]
