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| PM vows to prevent Baby P repeat | PM vows to prevent Baby P repeat |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| Gordon Brown has vowed to do everything in his power to prevent a repeat of the Baby P abuse case. | Gordon Brown has vowed to do everything in his power to prevent a repeat of the Baby P abuse case. |
| The prime minister rejected Tory claims of "buck-passing" after it emerged that a whistle-blower had raised concerns about Haringey Borough Council. | The prime minister rejected Tory claims of "buck-passing" after it emerged that a whistle-blower had raised concerns about Haringey Borough Council. |
| Baby P's natural father said the process had been "very traumatic", adding: "I loved him deeply." | Baby P's natural father said the process had been "very traumatic", adding: "I loved him deeply." |
| Baby P died aged 17 months following abuse. His mother and two men were convicted of causing his death. | Baby P died aged 17 months following abuse. His mother and two men were convicted of causing his death. |
| The alleged failings were investigated by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). | The alleged failings were investigated by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). |
| Six months prior to his death concerns about Haringey Council's child protection were examined by the CSCI as a result of the letter written to ministers by the whistle-blower. | Six months prior to his death concerns about Haringey Council's child protection were examined by the CSCI as a result of the letter written to ministers by the whistle-blower. |
| Speaking in New York ahead of a global summit on the financial crisis, Mr Brown said he would do "everything in my power" to prevent a repeat of the case. | Speaking in New York ahead of a global summit on the financial crisis, Mr Brown said he would do "everything in my power" to prevent a repeat of the case. |
| Gordon Brown says a Baby P case 'must never happen again' | |
| "I am determined that everything we do, the inquiries we are having in this case, reveal everything that went on," he said. | "I am determined that everything we do, the inquiries we are having in this case, reveal everything that went on," he said. |
| In a statement read by solicitor Chris Yiannakas, Baby P's father condemned those responsible for his son's death. | In a statement read by solicitor Chris Yiannakas, Baby P's father condemned those responsible for his son's death. |
| "Those who systematically tortured P... kept it a secret - not just from me, but from all the people who visited the house. | "Those who systematically tortured P... kept it a secret - not just from me, but from all the people who visited the house. |
| "Even after he died, they lied to cover up their abuse." | "Even after he died, they lied to cover up their abuse." |
| A lawyer acting for former Haringey social worker Nevres Kemal sent a letter about her concerns over the council to the Department of Health in February 2007. | A lawyer acting for former Haringey social worker Nevres Kemal sent a letter about her concerns over the council to the Department of Health in February 2007. |
| She was worried that children in the borough continued to be "at risk". | She was worried that children in the borough continued to be "at risk". |
| This was despite an inquiry into the killing of eight-year-old Victoria Climbie - she died from abuse and neglect in the same borough eight years ago. | This was despite an inquiry into the killing of eight-year-old Victoria Climbie - she died from abuse and neglect in the same borough eight years ago. |
| Ms Kemal believed recommendations made by Lord Laming following that inquiry were still not being followed. | Ms Kemal believed recommendations made by Lord Laming following that inquiry were still not being followed. |
| Her letter was passed to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), which said proper procedures were followed. | Her letter was passed to the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), which said proper procedures were followed. |
| Lawyer Lawrence Davies: 'We had been pushed from pillar to post' | Lawyer Lawrence Davies: 'We had been pushed from pillar to post' |
| Haringey Council has issued an injunction against Ms Kemal so that she cannot talk directly about the case or anything to do with "child protection matters". | Haringey Council has issued an injunction against Ms Kemal so that she cannot talk directly about the case or anything to do with "child protection matters". |
| She is now pursuing a claim of constructive dismissal from the council. | She is now pursuing a claim of constructive dismissal from the council. |
| The DCSF confirmed it received a letter dated 16 February 2007 containing allegations "that child protection procedures were not being followed in Haringey". | The DCSF confirmed it received a letter dated 16 February 2007 containing allegations "that child protection procedures were not being followed in Haringey". |
| A spokesman claimed "standard procedures" were followed and after the letter went between various departments, Ms Kemal was told to notify the CSCI as it would take "appropriate action". | A spokesman claimed "standard procedures" were followed and after the letter went between various departments, Ms Kemal was told to notify the CSCI as it would take "appropriate action". |
| It is not thought that ministers saw the letter, and BBC home affairs editor Mark Easton said it appeared to have failed to reach the people who could have acted upon it. | It is not thought that ministers saw the letter, and BBC home affairs editor Mark Easton said it appeared to have failed to reach the people who could have acted upon it. |
| He said: "When the letter was sent back in February 2007 the then body that was looking after inspecting children's services in England was the Commission for Social Care Inspection. | He said: "When the letter was sent back in February 2007 the then body that was looking after inspecting children's services in England was the Commission for Social Care Inspection. |
| "Ofsted, perhaps surprising to some people, actually took over the inspection of children's services in April 2007 and what they say is that only ongoing complaints that were still live - as it were - were passed to them. | "Ofsted, perhaps surprising to some people, actually took over the inspection of children's services in April 2007 and what they say is that only ongoing complaints that were still live - as it were - were passed to them. |
| "They only received paper details from the commission and I think there is a suggestion that in a way this complaint fell through the gap - that somehow concerns about what was going on in Haringey were not passed on to the body which was responsible for inspecting them." | "They only received paper details from the commission and I think there is a suggestion that in a way this complaint fell through the gap - that somehow concerns about what was going on in Haringey were not passed on to the body which was responsible for inspecting them." |
| HAVE YOUR SAY Nothing will be learned from this. Most of what will be done will be damage limitation Jay Steele, DerbySend us your comments | HAVE YOUR SAY Nothing will be learned from this. Most of what will be done will be damage limitation Jay Steele, DerbySend us your comments |
| Ms Kemal's lawyer, Lawrence Davies said: "If the social care inspectorate had acted on it or the ministers had acted on it [the letter], it seems hard to believe that the situation in which Baby P was seen 60 times in total... presumably several times after February, couldn't have been averted." | Ms Kemal's lawyer, Lawrence Davies said: "If the social care inspectorate had acted on it or the ministers had acted on it [the letter], it seems hard to believe that the situation in which Baby P was seen 60 times in total... presumably several times after February, couldn't have been averted." |
| The CSCI said it did investigate the claims and "was satisfied that the council had dealt properly with the individual case raised by Ms Kemal". | The CSCI said it did investigate the claims and "was satisfied that the council had dealt properly with the individual case raised by Ms Kemal". |
| The body also said it - in conjunction with Ofsted - had identified broader areas where improvement was needed and ordered the council to make changes. | The body also said it - in conjunction with Ofsted - had identified broader areas where improvement was needed and ordered the council to make changes. |
| Its statement added: "The transfer [of responsibility to Ofsted] included the handover of all previous case files, inspection reports, databases and all of our staff working on children's services." | Its statement added: "The transfer [of responsibility to Ofsted] included the handover of all previous case files, inspection reports, databases and all of our staff working on children's services." |
| Public inquiry call | Public inquiry call |
| The shadow children's secretary, Michael Gove, said no government department appeared to have been willing to act on the warning. | The shadow children's secretary, Michael Gove, said no government department appeared to have been willing to act on the warning. |
| He said: "The public are tired of hearing that 'correct procedures have been followed' when a child died in agony. | He said: "The public are tired of hearing that 'correct procedures have been followed' when a child died in agony. |
| Ministers were warned about child protection issues in Haringey last year | |
| "Ministers were told six months before Baby P's death that there were profound problems in Haringey's children's services department. | "Ministers were told six months before Baby P's death that there were profound problems in Haringey's children's services department. |
| "Yet all that appears to have happened is the... gagging of the whistleblower and bureaucratic buck-passing in Whitehall." | "Yet all that appears to have happened is the... gagging of the whistleblower and bureaucratic buck-passing in Whitehall." |
| Local Lib Dem MP Lynne Featherstone wants a public inquiry and she told the BBC that someone at the council should take responsibility. | Local Lib Dem MP Lynne Featherstone wants a public inquiry and she told the BBC that someone at the council should take responsibility. |
| No-one at Haringey Council has lost their job over the case. | No-one at Haringey Council has lost their job over the case. |
| The council welcomed a government review, saying it would be "open and co-operative" with inspectors and would implement the findings "swiftly and comprehensively". | The council welcomed a government review, saying it would be "open and co-operative" with inspectors and would implement the findings "swiftly and comprehensively". |