Social services
department has been branded ‘chaotic and dangerous’ in an investigation into
the death of a 10-month-old baby known as Baby A.
The report - which Doncaster Council quietly published on its website without
any public announcement - is the latest scandal in the wake of Baby P fiasco
at Haringey.
It revealed that despite Baby A’s death being declared as from ‘natural
causes’ social workers received 10 calls about his family, including three
shortly before he died last December.
The inquiry said his 21-year-old mother found him ‘in his pram, not breathing
and in an unresponsive state’ before an ambulance was called.
It revealed a history of domestic violence and reports that his teenage father
was a drug user who committed violent offences and had either harmed Baby A or
his older brother, now aged three.
The report also says that a social worker, from Doncaster's Children and Young
Person's service, assessed the case at one stage but closed it ‘with
assurances by the mother being accepted without challenge’.
The review concluded: ‘Overall the response to these referrals was grossly
inadequate and came nowhere near fulfilling the duties placed upon the
Children and Young People’s Service by the Children Act 1989 and Working
Together to Safeguard Children (2006).’
‘It has been observed that these events were set against the backdrop of
unmanageable workloads exacerbated by staff abstraction and shortages, both
leading to and resulting from a “chaotic and dangerous’ situation within the
team concerned.’
It also criticised procedures involving hospital and community health staff
despite the fact that hospital workers raised concerns about the safety and
welfare of both Baby A and his brother when they were born.
The family missed hospital appointments and 22 GP appointments during a two
and a half year period, it revealed.
Baby A’s brother was taken into hospital with an arm injury in January 2007
but it was not followed up.
Police, youth offending and probation staff did not assess the risk to the
children after reported cruelty to animals by the father and his reported drug
abuse.
Two months before the baby died police were called to the home after his
father assaulted the mother but no check was made of the welfare of the
children who were asleep.
During the two and a half years covered by the review only one check was made
to establish if either child was on the child protection register.
The review concludes that even following the death the authorities involved
failed the dead child saying the handling of his body was not ‘satisfactorily
coordinated' by health and police staff .
The post mortem was carried out by a forensic pathologist alone instead of in
conjunction with a paediatric pathologist as recommended in guidelines.
The council has already changed the way unexpected child deaths are dealt
with.
The review made 16 recommendations, some of which it said required action to
be taken within a month.
It highlighted a number of occasions 'where opportunities for professionals to
recognise and respond to issues which might impact upon the safety and welfare
of the children were missed.'
The serious case review into Baby A’s death is the first of three due to be
published following an inquiry into each of the cases.
The others concern the murder of 16-month-old Amy Howson following months of
abuse and the killing of three-month-old Alfie Goddard.
Amy’s back was
broken and she suffered more than 40 injuries at the hands of her brutal
father James Howson, 25, who was jailed for 22 years for her murder.
Alfie Goddard ,
from the town’s Toll Bar area, was murdered by his father, Craig Goddard, also
25, in May.
Alfie’s mother Lindsay Harris, 19, pleaded guilty to perverting the course of
justice but denied a charge of child cruelty.
She will face trial
at Sheffield Crown Court on January 12. Goddard is expected to be sentenced
the same week.
A spokeswoman for Doncaster Safeguarding Children’s Board said it accepted all
the recommendations and set in motion action plans to respond.
She said care
proceedings were going ahead to ensure the future safety of the older boy.
But pensions minister Rosie Winterton, who is also the MP for Doncaster
Central, said: ‘These are deeply disturbing reports.’
And Don Valley MP Caroline Flint, who is also Europe Minister, said:
‘Protecting children at risk is one of the most serious responsibilities local
councils must undertake.
‘Doncaster Council should ensure MPs are briefed on serious cases and the
performance of key council departments . But the first step is to undertake
the thorough reviews requested by the Secretary of State.’
The council claimed it acted in line with regulations by publishing the
executive summary of the review into Baby A’s death on the Doncaster
Safeguarding Children’s Board web page.
The furore over social services began when Baby P died the age of 17 months
after a sustained period of abuse went undetected by Haringey Council in north
London.
Daily Mail
