Declan Hainey aged 15mths
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| Renfrewshire Social Services 14 February 2012 Source: BBC News Declan Hainey death report identifies 16 areas for improvement A report into the role of social workers and health care staff in the case of murdered toddler Declan Hainey says things "could, and should have been done differently". Drug addict Kimberley Hainey, 37, was sentenced to a minimum of 15 years for killing her son at their Paisley home. Renfrewshire Council and the NHS commissioned a significant case review after his body was found in 2010. The findings were held back until criminal proceedings were completed. The local authority said it had already taken action to address areas of concern raised in the report. The most fundamental of the recommendations said excuses for missed appointments should not be allowed to develop into "a pattern of concealment" which prevents child protection professionals seeing a vulnerable child. Kimberly Hainey, a recovering heroin addict, repeatedly failed to attend appointments with her drugs counsellor and came up with excuses why drugs support workers could not visit the home she shared with Declan. The independent report was commissioned by Tim Huntingford, the chairman of the Renfrewshire Child Protection Committee (RCPC), jointly with Renfrewshire Council and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Dr Zoe Dunhill, a consultant paediatrician, and Mr Jim Cameron, a former chief social work officer, were appointed to conduct the review. Mr Huntingford said: "We considered it essential to examine urgently the role of all the agencies involved in this case. This review was carried out before the criminal trial was concluded. "The intention was to make sure that any changes that were required were put in place without delay. "The outcome of the trial squarely placed the responsibility for Declan's tragic death on his mother. Despite this, there were undoubtedly things that could, and should, have been done differently." Hainey was convicted of murdering Declan following a six-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow. She was also found guilty of neglecting her son, failing to report his death and of attempting to pervert the course of justice by concealing his body at the flat. The cause of his death is not known. He is said to have been last seen alive when he was 15 months old. Declan's decomposed and mummified body was discovered in his cot on 30 March 2010. Mr Hunt added: "In the first year of his life, Declan was developing perfectly normally and all the pictures of him show a happy little boy. His mother was also making significant progress in addressing her issues. There were no unexplained injuries, no catalogue of visits to A&E. "It was in the second year of Declan's life that his mother began to weave a web of deceit to prevent anyone - family, friends and neighbours, as well as health and social care agencies - seeing Declan. "Since we do not know, and will never know when or how Declan died, we can't say that if things had been done differently Declan would still be alive. However, we fully accept the recommendations in this report." The report outlines 16 recommendations for improvement in relation to areas including how referrals for pregnant women with substance misuse concerns should be made and responded to; staff training; contact levels with children; recording; sharing information; monitoring practice and steps to be followed when a case is closed. It said there should be an initial child protection case conference arranged in all cases of children being born to drug-using parents, which a health visitor should attend. The report also urged that GP records should be made available as they are likely to be the most accurate source of the medical history of a substance misusing parent. Scottish Labour said there were "systematic failures in child protection" beyond Renfrewshire and called for the Scottish government to order an independent, wide-ranging inquiry into how vulnerable children are protected. Local Labour MSP Neil Bibby, who had previously called for an independent investigation into Declan Hainey's death, said: "This independent report paints a shocking picture of failure and of staff in health and social work, including at senior management level, being unaware of proper process and untrained in their responsibilities. "It beggars belief that the 'focus of work' for all agencies and staff seems to have been Ms Hainey with 'little or no consideration' of the impact of her actions and lifestyle on the health and welfare of Declan." He added: "While this is a thorough report, there needs to be an independent assessment of Renfrewshire Council's failures." ---------------------------------------------------- Renfrewshire Social Services Calls for an investigation into why Declan was not protected. Source: Daily Record Declan Hainey murder: MSP demands inquiry over why killer mum wasn't stopped. Dec 17 2011 By Janice Burns A SHOCKED MSP wants an independent inquiry into how a devil mum was able to murder her son in a horrific case of neglect. Heroin addict Kimberley Hainey was found guilty on Thursday of killing little Declan, then leaving his body in his cot for months. She left the tot alone without water or food for long periods at least once for two days while she went drinking. Declan's gran found his partly mummified body 23 months after his birth. The cause of Declan's death is not known. An expert told Hainey's trial he would have suffered severe dehydration. Renfrewshire Council and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde had dealt with Hainey, of Paisley, because of her drug abuse. And West of Scotland Labour MSP Neil Bibby wants ministers to order an investigation into why Declan was not protected. He said: "No child should die the way Declan did. We need answers. Its the least we can do." Bibby wants to know how Hainey managed to keep her sons death hidden for so long when health workers knew about her abuse of substances. And he asked: "Are our services coping with the growing demands on them, particularly in the light of council cuts?" Bibby wants better sharing of information among health bodies, and for police to be called in if problem parents miss more than two social work appointments. Hainey, 37, dodged seven health visitor appointments before Declan's granny found his decomposed body in his filthy cot. The Scottish Government refused to be drawn on the calls for an inquiry. They said they issued national guidance on child protection last year, which clearly outlined expectations on how to protect kids at risk from substance abuse. Hainey was put on methadone after Declan's birth in April 2008, and was under the care of Renfrewshire Council's Family Matters team of health workers. She was signed off the plan in August 2009 and her case was closed. Workers were satisfied at the time that Declan was a much cared-for child. Declan was last seen about the same time. His gran, Elizabeth Rodden, found him dead at his home in Paisley in March last year. The family were alerted after Hainey's drug counsellor and GP raised concerns over her failure to take Declan for his jabs. Yesterday, the council said Family Matters spoke to other agencies before closing Hainey's case. No concerns were raised. They said health staff made determined efforts over the next 11 months to see Declan and Hainey, who had admitted in court that she lied to avoid contact. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said a joint review of the case with the council had led to 16 recommendations, all of which had been, or were being, implemented. Procedures had been reinforced to make sure missed appointments by parents are not allowed to develop into a pattern of concealment. Hainey will be sentenced in the new year. |
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