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Three lose jobs over Baby P case | Three lose jobs over Baby P case |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Three people have lost their jobs after a "damning and devastating" inspectors' report into the Baby P case, Children's Secretary Ed Balls has said. | |
Sharon Shoesmith, the head of children's services at Haringey Council, has been sacked. | Sharon Shoesmith, the head of children's services at Haringey Council, has been sacked. |
The council's leader George Meehan and the cabinet member for children and young people, Liz Santry have resigned. | The council's leader George Meehan and the cabinet member for children and young people, Liz Santry have resigned. |
The 17-month-old died despite being on the child protection register. He had been visited by professionals 60 times. | |
The boy's mother, her boyfriend and a lodger have been jailed over his death. | The boy's mother, her boyfriend and a lodger have been jailed over his death. |
Overall the inquiry's findings, are, I have to say, devastating Children's Secretary Ed Balls class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7758891.stm">Reaction to Baby P investigation | |
Mr Balls said: "Overall the inquiry's findings, are, I have to say, devastating." | |
He said the report delivered a "damning verdict on the current management of safeguarding in Haringey". | |
One of the factors that was most troubling, Mr Balls added, was the "failure to talk directly to children at risk". | |
The key failings highlighted include:
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Action to be taken includes:
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Mr Balls announced that new leadership would be introduced in Haringey's social services, with Hampshire County Council's John Coughlan replacing Ms Shoesmith with immediate effect. | |
He described Mr Coughlan as "one of the most experienced directors of children's services in the country". | |
Mr Balls said there had been a failure to talk to children at risk | |
He added that if he was not satisfied that there was significant progress in improving the department he would not hesitate to step in again. | He added that if he was not satisfied that there was significant progress in improving the department he would not hesitate to step in again. |
Following the report's publication, the chief inspector of Ofsted - one of the agencies involved in the report - said the findings were "very worrying". | |
Christine Gilbert told BBC News: "You had very committed hard-working people working in different services, social care, health police and so on but working in parallel not really talking well enough to one another." | |
The report looked into the roles of health service, social workers and the police in the case. | |
Mr Balls ordered the investigation two weeks ago, after saying it was clear mistakes had been made and that those responsible would be held accountable. | Mr Balls ordered the investigation two weeks ago, after saying it was clear mistakes had been made and that those responsible would be held accountable. |
The inspectors have been examining why the toddler was not taken into care despite numerous injuries including broken ribs and eventually a broken back. | The inspectors have been examining why the toddler was not taken into care despite numerous injuries including broken ribs and eventually a broken back. |