Social service criticism continues as foster child rapes baby
By politics.co.uk staff An investigation has been launched after a teenager placed with a foster family raped and sexually abused their children. The 18-year-old was taken in by the family who apparently had no idea he had a history of sexual behaviour involving children dating back to 2004. The teen then raped the couples’ two-year-old […]
Balls denies Baby P chief’s ‘reckless’ claims
Ed Balls has denied claims from the sacked head of Haringey children’s services that his handling of the Baby P case was “breathtakingly reckless”. In her first interview since being dismissed from her £110,000-a-year post after a damning report into her department’s failings in the death of Baby P, Sharon Shoesmith claimed she was a […]
Shoesmith loses Baby P appeal
By politics.co.uk staff Sharon Shoesmith, the former head of children’s services in Haringey council who was heavily criticised over the death of Baby P, has lost an appeal against her sacking. Ms Shoesmith, 55, was removed from her position in December after a damning report was released into her department’s handling of the 17-month-old’s death. […]
Baby P official appeals sacking
By politics.co.uk staff The woman who lost her job as head of children’s services in Haringey Council over the Baby P affair is appealing against her sacking. Sharon Shoesmith was removed from her position in December after a damning report was released into her department’s handling of the 17-month-old’s death. Baby P died in 2007 […]
Baby P director sacked
Sharon Shoesmith, director of children’s services in Haringey, has been sacked over the death of Baby P. Ms Shoesmith was suspended earlier in the month while the council investigated the affair. She has become something close to a hate-figure in the tabloid press, after an initial press conference over the death saw her refuse to […]
Ten per cent of UK children ‘suffer abuse’
Research published has suggests one million children fall victim to child abuse in Britain every year. A study published in the Lancet reveals this statistic is prevalent across high-income countries. It means in Britain around one million children are maltreated – either through neglect or sexual, emotional or physical abuse. The University College London study […]
Baby P report damns Haringey council
A report into the death of Baby P has damned Haringey council, prompting a slew of resignations. George Meehan resigned as council leader just twenty minutes before children’s secretary Ed Balls held a press conference to discuss the report. He was quickly followed by Liz Santry, head of children and young people in Haringey. The […]
Make Baby P review public, MPs demand
The MPs granted access to the Baby P review have demanded it be made public. Ed Balls, children’s secretary, allowed the review to be seen by various MPs following massive levels of public interest in the case. Those MPs are now calling for it to be made fully public. They are David Laws, Liberal Democrat […]
Baby P reaction ‘could damage children’
A “knee-jerk” reaction to the Baby P tragedy could cause damage to the care of children in the long run, local authorities warn. The Local Government Association (LGA) claims that children may now be taken into care unnecessarily. Chair of the association, Margaret Eaton, will speak at a summit of child protection later today, when […]
Balls expands access to Baby P report
Opposition spokespeople and local MPs will have access to the report into the failures which led to the death of Baby P, it has been announced. The move marks a U-turn by the government, who previously had refused to allow access to the report, with children’s minister Ed Balls citing legal reasons. Conservative and Lib […]
