Baby P: Ed Balls Statement In Full And Sun’s Failed Campaign
And I am pleased that both the Health Secretary and Police Minister Vernon Coaker are also making it clear today that the Healthcare Commission and the Metropolitan Police will co-operate fully with the new Serious Case Review into the death of Baby P.
With these immediate leadership and management changes; with the full implementation of all of the inspectors’ recommendations; and with the new Serious Case review; I believe that we can now address the deep-rooted and fundamental failings that have been identified in the tragic case of Baby P and more widely in Haringey.
When I met with the Chief Inspector this morning, she told me that in her judgement the failings in management, oversight and practice identified by the Inspectors’ report in Haringey are “exceptional”.
But this is no reason for complacency. As I told the House of Commons in my statement of 20 November, there is more we must do now and in the coming months to ensure that child protection arrangements are effective everywhere.
It is now just over five years since we published Every Child Matters in response to the Victoria Climbié Inquiry, chaired by Lord Laming. And while Lord Laming himself and the Joint Chief Inspectors in their report to me in July have said these reforms have significantly strengthened the framework for safeguarding children, there is still much work to do to ensure these reforms are being implemented robustly in every area.
Ofsted is today publishing its first evaluation of Serious Case Reviews, which highlights that there is variable quality across the country in conducting these Serious Case Reviews.
And Lord Laming has today written to me with a progress report and to set out his initial recommendations to strengthen the Serious Case Review process, including that all Serious Case Reviews are from now on independently chaired. Lord Laming will set out more details in his February report. But I want to take further action today.
So I am asking each Local Safeguarding Children Board responsible for a Serious Case Review which has been judged inadequate to convene a panel to be chaired by an independent person to reconsider the review.
I will ask Ofsted’s advice on whether that report satisfactorily addresses the issues rated as inadequate. And this same process will be used for any future Serious Case Reviews that Ofsted assesses to be inadequate.
Ofsted has also decided that each year they will undertake an unannounced inspection visit of safeguarding practice in every area of the country. And where areas have had more than one inadequate Serious Case Review, I will consider whether further action is needed.
I have today written to every Director of Children’s Services and Lead Member for Children’s Services in the country, enclosing a copy of the Haringey Inspectors’ report, to ensure that they are examining their own safeguarding arrangements.
I have also today accepted all of the safeguarding recommendations in the Joint Chief Inspectors’ report and published the government’s response.
In his letter, Lord Laming also raises the question of a public inquiry into Haringey Children’s Services. He says that he has been “struck by the robustness of the foundation on which current children’s services are based.”
He sets out his view that a public inquiry into the services in Haringey would set back the progress that has been made in many places and divert effort from the actions needed now to keep children safe in Haringey. I agree with this judgement.
For now, our priorities must be to:
– put in place the leadership and management team in Haringey children’s services that can ensure that vulnerable children in the borough are properly protected;
– appoint a new independent chair of the Local Safeguarding Children Board to begin a new Serious Case Review into the death of Baby P;
– and ensure that action has been taken across the country in response to those Serious Case Reviews that have been judged to be inadequate.
That is what I have done today. Nothing we do now can take away the terrible suffering that was inflicted on Baby P during his short life. The sad fact is that, as the Inspectors report makes clear:
“Baby P had been subject to a child protection plan from 22 December 2006, following concerns that he had been abused and neglected. He was still subject to this plan when he died.”
That is the most serious failing of all. We will not rest until we have the very best child protection arrangements in place in Haringey and across our country.
Posted: 1st, December 2008 | In: Key Posts, Politicians Comments (13) | TrackBack | Permalink
