WHAT IS CLEAR IS THAT PROBLEMS IN CHILD PROTECTION AND SAFEGUARDING WERE MUCH DEEPER THAN ANYONE THOUGHT - FEATHERSTONE
Haringey Council has made only limited progress in improving its children’s social care services, Ofsted inspectors say; this latest report comes only months after the damaging report into the death of Baby P.
Ofsted noted that Haringey has made good progress in some areas such as clearing a backlog of cases. But it still does not have enough competent staff and managers and as a result young people are “not yet consistently safeguarded”.
Children’s Secretary Ed Balls has said he wants another report by January.
Baby P - Peter - died in August 2007, aged 17 months, with more than 50 injuries, despite being on Haringey’s child protection register.
Peter’s 27-year-old mother was given an indefinite sentence with a minimum term of five years at the Old Bailey in May after pleading guilty to causing or allowing her son’s death.
Her boyfriend, aged 32, was given a 12-year sentence for his role in Peter’s death. He was also jailed for life with a minimum term of 10 years for the rape of a two-year-old girl - he is appealing.
The head of the children’s services in Haringey was sacked, as were a social worker and three managers. A new children’s services director was appointed in January.
Eight cases out of 57 that the Ofsted inspection team examined - which had been judged low priority by the council - raised “serious safeguarding concerns”.
After reviewing them the council agreed “urgent and significant action” should be taken in each case.
Relationships between key agencies were poor, with a lack of trust compounded by frequent staff changes and “inadequate communication, sometimes perceived to be obstructive”, the report said.
“Despite persistent and concerted action, significant shortcomings in staffing and in the capability of some managers and social workers have restricted the rate of progress and children and young people are not yet consistently safeguarded,” the report said.
Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey & Wood Green, Lynne Featherstone said: “If there are concerns about the progress then there have to be question marks about the measures the Government has taken so far.
“If children are at risk they have to consider the last resort, which is effectively taking the department into special measures. I just don’t think you can leave it and see. If it doesn’t get sorted now, it’s going to get worse.
“They have a new head of department with an enormous salary, and with that comes enormous responsibility to get it right and get it quickly right.”
Lynne Featherstone also said: “What is clear is that problems in child protection and safeguarding were much deeper than anyone thought.
“Instead of being up to their waist, Haringey Council is clearly still struggling to keep its head above water.”
