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Daniel Pelka's horrendous death: the buck-passing must stop here Daniel Pelka's horrendous death: the buck-passing must stop here
(34 minutes later)
The details of the death of four-year-old Daniel Pelka are almost too horrific to read. Beaten and tortured, he was kept locked in a filthy box-room and systematically denied food before dying from a blow to his head. In his last months he looked like a concentration-camp victim. Twelve years before, Victoria Climbié had suffered an equally appalling death. She too was beaten and tortured daily and she spent the last months of her life living and sleeping in a bath in an unheated bathroom, bound head and foot inside a bin bag, lying in her own urine and faeces. When she died there were 128 different injuries to her body.The details of the death of four-year-old Daniel Pelka are almost too horrific to read. Beaten and tortured, he was kept locked in a filthy box-room and systematically denied food before dying from a blow to his head. In his last months he looked like a concentration-camp victim. Twelve years before, Victoria Climbié had suffered an equally appalling death. She too was beaten and tortured daily and she spent the last months of her life living and sleeping in a bath in an unheated bathroom, bound head and foot inside a bin bag, lying in her own urine and faeces. When she died there were 128 different injuries to her body.
But Tuesday's publication of the serious case review into Daniel's death was the cue for a series of senior public sector managers to troop through the nation's television studios and intone piously that "lessons will be learned". The trouble is that lessons never are learned. It is all very well to talk about new legislation or ever more elaborate procedures, but no one seems to remember one of the more telling sentences in Lord Laming's inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbié, which reported in 2003. "I am convinced that the answer lies in doing relatively straightforward things well."But Tuesday's publication of the serious case review into Daniel's death was the cue for a series of senior public sector managers to troop through the nation's television studios and intone piously that "lessons will be learned". The trouble is that lessons never are learned. It is all very well to talk about new legislation or ever more elaborate procedures, but no one seems to remember one of the more telling sentences in Lord Laming's inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbié, which reported in 2003. "I am convinced that the answer lies in doing relatively straightforward things well."
Sadly, many of the straightforward things that were left undone in the Victoria Climbié case were still not being done when Daniel met his death. Just as none of the social workers, teachers, policemen and health workers involved in her case actually spoke to Victoria, nobody bothered to talk to Daniel about his home life either. And in the same way the Laming inquiry described Victoria dying "a slow, lonely death – abandoned, unheard and unnoticed" Daniel was also treated as if he was invisible by all the public sector professionals who dealt with his family. And that included the police officers who visited his household nearly 30 times in the six years before his death. Sadly, many of the straightforward things that were left undone in the Victoria Climbié case were still not being done when Daniel met his death. Just as none of the social workers, teachers, police officers and health workers involved in her case actually spoke to Victoria, nobody bothered to talk to Daniel about his home life either. And in the same way the Laming inquiry described Victoria dying "a slow, lonely death – abandoned, unheard and unnoticed" Daniel was also treated as if he was invisible by all the public sector professionals who dealt with his family. And that included the police officers who visited his household nearly 30 times in the six years before his death.
Among his many recommendations, Laming called for improvements in the exchange of information between the various authorities. Ten years later nothing seems to have improved.Among his many recommendations, Laming called for improvements in the exchange of information between the various authorities. Ten years later nothing seems to have improved.
But the most important piece of unfinished business from the Laming report is the question of managerial responsibility.But the most important piece of unfinished business from the Laming report is the question of managerial responsibility.
He was scathing about the senior managers involved. "It is not to the handful of hapless, if sometimes inexperienced, frontline staff that I direct most criticism for the events leading up to Victoria's death. While the standard of work done by those with direct contact with her was generally of very poor quality, the greatest failure rests with the managers and senior members of the authorities". Laming goes on:He was scathing about the senior managers involved. "It is not to the handful of hapless, if sometimes inexperienced, frontline staff that I direct most criticism for the events leading up to Victoria's death. While the standard of work done by those with direct contact with her was generally of very poor quality, the greatest failure rests with the managers and senior members of the authorities". Laming goes on:
"I strongly believe that in future, those who occupy senior positions in the public sector must be required to account for any failure to protect vulnerable children from deliberate harm or exploitation. The single most important change in the future must be the drawing of a clear line of accountability, from top to bottom, without doubt or ambiguity about who is responsible at every level for the well-being of vulnerable children. Time and again it was dispiriting to listen to the "buck passing" from those who attempted to justify their positions. For the proper safe-guarding of children this must end. If ever such a tragedy happens again I hope those in leadership will examine their responsibilities before looking more widely".
"I strongly believe that in future, those who occupy senior positions in the public sector must be required to account for any failure to protect vulnerable children from deliberate harm or exploitation. The single most important change in the future must be the drawing of a clear line of accountability, from top to bottom, without doubt or ambiguity about who is responsible at every level for the well-being of vulnerable children. Time and again it was dispiriting to listen to the "buck passing" from those who attempted to justify their positions. For the proper safe-guarding of children this must end. If ever such a tragedy happens again I hope those in leadership will examine their responsibilities before looking more widely".
Despite these comments, 10 years later, the loudest sound anyone hears in the aftermath of Daniel's death is the noise of bucks being passed. Nobody in a senior position in the public sector accepts any responsibility, nobody is personally accountable, and nobody has been so much as reprimanded. The meaningful accountability that Laming was calling for seems further away than ever.Despite these comments, 10 years later, the loudest sound anyone hears in the aftermath of Daniel's death is the noise of bucks being passed. Nobody in a senior position in the public sector accepts any responsibility, nobody is personally accountable, and nobody has been so much as reprimanded. The meaningful accountability that Laming was calling for seems further away than ever.
Laming did not ignore the problems caused by underfunding. But he pointed out: "Even so, there was plenty of evidence to show that scarce resources were not being put to good use. Bad practice can be expensive."Laming did not ignore the problems caused by underfunding. But he pointed out: "Even so, there was plenty of evidence to show that scarce resources were not being put to good use. Bad practice can be expensive."
He also noted: "Sadly, many of those from social services who gave evidence seemed to spend a lot of time and energy devising ways of limiting access to services, and adopting mechanisms designed to reduce service demand."He also noted: "Sadly, many of those from social services who gave evidence seemed to spend a lot of time and energy devising ways of limiting access to services, and adopting mechanisms designed to reduce service demand."
Jasmine Beckford, Victoria Climbié, Baby P and now Daniel Pelka. Always the same mistakes and each time nobody takes proper responsibility. Until men and women in senior positions in the public sector routinely pay a price for these deaths, then they will continue to mouth that "lessons will be learned" and children will continue to be tortured to death in plain sight.Jasmine Beckford, Victoria Climbié, Baby P and now Daniel Pelka. Always the same mistakes and each time nobody takes proper responsibility. Until men and women in senior positions in the public sector routinely pay a price for these deaths, then they will continue to mouth that "lessons will be learned" and children will continue to be tortured to death in plain sight.
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