Category: social services

Special report: Haringey children’s services – ‘They said things would change after Baby Peter’ – The Independent

Posted November 4th, 2013 in child abuse, child cruelty, local government, news, social services by sally

“The council that repeatedly promised to protect its children following the deaths of Baby Peter and Victoria Climbié has launched yet another serious case review (SCR) into a child abuse case, The Independent on Sunday can reveal. The new investigation has started only a month after the publication of Haringey’s last SCR into Child T, a three-year-old who was beaten so badly with a belt, stick and cable that he was hospitalised yet was still returned to the family home, where the abuse continued. The latest investigation is the council’s sixth known SCR – investigations into serious incidents of child abuse – since the report into Baby Peter’s death was published in 2009.”

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The Independent, 3rd November 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Prosecute professionals who stay silent on child abuse claims – Keir Starmer – The Guardian

Posted November 4th, 2013 in child abuse, news, prosecutions, small claims, social services, teachers, witnesses by sally

“Teachers and health workers should be prosecuted for failing to alert the police to allegations of child abuse, according to the former director of public prosecutions, who is calling for an overhaul of the law to prevent more victims from slipping through the net.”

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The Guardian, 4th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Deaf and blind man fears losing home over “bedroom tax” as disabled legal challenges mount – The Independent

Posted October 29th, 2013 in benefits, disabled persons, housing, news, social services by sally

“A deaf and blind man who uses his spare bedroom to store braille equipment fears that he could lose his home due to the ‘bedroom tax’ as lawyers warned that the controversial measure is having a discriminatory impact on the disabled.”

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The Independent, 28th October 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Sharon Shoesmith agrees unfair dismissal payout – The Guardian

Posted October 29th, 2013 in compensation, local government, news, social services, unfair dismissal by sally

“Sharon Shoesmith , the former Haringey council children’s services director sacked in the wake of the controversy surrounding the death of Baby P, has agreed a settlement for unfair dismissal with her former employers.”

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The Guardian, 29th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Birmingham branded ‘national disgrace’ for child protection failures – The Guardian

Posted October 16th, 2013 in care homes, child abuse, child cruelty, child neglect, local government, news, reports, social services, standards, statistics by sally

“Vulnerable children are being let down by councils with ineffective and incompetent leadership, according to the Ofsted chief inspector, who singled out Birmingham as a ‘national disgrace’.”

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The Guardian, 15th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judicial Window Dressing and Balance Sheets – Where is adoption post-Re B-S? – Family Law Week

Posted October 14th, 2013 in adoption, appeals, news, parental rights, social services by sally

“Andrew Pack, care lawyer with Brighton & Hove City Council, considers the effect on adoption of the Court of Appeal’s landmark judgment in Re B-S.”

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Family Law Week, 11th October 2013

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Baby P council apologises for failings in Child T abuse case – The Guardian

Posted October 11th, 2013 in child abuse, local government, news, reports, social services by sally

“The council that dealt with the Baby P and Victoria Climbié cases has apologised after failing to prevent the abuse of a toddler who suffered extensive injuries at the hands of his family.”

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The Guardian, 10th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Professionals failed to prevent toddler Keanu Williams’ death, report finds – The Guardian

Posted October 4th, 2013 in child abuse, doctors, news, reports, social services by sally

“Doctors, social workers, police and nursery staff collectively failed to prevent the death of a two-year-old boy who was beaten to death by his mother after months of horrific cruelty, a serious case review has found.”

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The Guardian, 3rd October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Benefit cap faces High Court challenge – BBC News

Posted October 3rd, 2013 in benefits, illegality, judicial review, news, social services by sally

“Three families are challenging the government in court in a bid to prove its benefits cap is unlawful.”

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BBC News, 2nd October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

LGO censures council over bid to force vulnerable girl to move schools – Local Government Lawyer

Posted October 2nd, 2013 in children, news, ombudsmen, social services, special educational needs by tracey

“The Local Government Ombudsman has sharply criticised a council that tried to force a vulnerable 13-year-old girl to move from the residential school she attended.”

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Local Government Lawyer, 1st October 2013

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Daniel Pelka: New report to look into why child protection workers failed to intervene in tragic case of boy beaten to death – The Independent

Posted September 26th, 2013 in child abuse, news, reports, social services by sally

“A new report will be published into exactly why child protection workers failed to intervene in the case of a four-year-old beaten to death by his mother and stepfather.”

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The Independent, 25th September 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Many councils still ‘inadequate’ on child protection – BBC News

Posted September 19th, 2013 in children, local government, news, social services by sally

“One-third of councils previously judged by inspectors to have child protection weaknesses are still failing to meet minimum requirements, figures show.”

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BBC News, 18th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Daniel Pelka: Professionals failed ‘invisible’ murdered boy, report says – The Guardian

Posted September 17th, 2013 in children, murder, news, reports, social services, teachers by sally

“Teachers, health professionals, social workers and police officers treated four-year-old Daniel Pelka as if he was invisible, failing to prevent his mother and stepfather from murdering him after a campaign of torture and starvation, an independent report has found.”

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The Guardian, 17th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Related link: Daniel Pelka – Serious Case Review

Judge rejects ban on naming and shaming social workers – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 6th, 2013 in anonymity, injunctions, news, reporting restrictions, social services by tracey

“The most senior family judge in England and Wales has rejected a legal bid to ban the naming and shaming of social workers in a controversial case which saw a baby taken from his parents against their will.”

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Daily Telegraph, 5th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

ICO warns councils over home working by social services employees – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 2nd, 2013 in children, data protection, internet, local government, news, ombudsmen, privacy, social services by sally

“A city council has been fined £100,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office after information on social services involvement with a number of individuals was published online.”

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Local Government Lawyer, 30th August 2013

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Daniel Pelka’s mother and stepfather jailed for life – The Guardian

Posted August 5th, 2013 in causing death of children or vulnerable adults, child cruelty, news, sentencing, social services, teachers by sally

“The mother and stepfather of Daniel Pelka have been jailed for life for starving, torturing and battering the four-year-old boy to death.”

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The Guardian, 2nd August 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The Missed Chances: Victoria Climbie, Baby P, now Daniel Pelka – how could it happen again? – The Independent

Posted August 2nd, 2013 in child abuse, children, news, police, social services, teachers by sally

“On his last day of school, Daniel Pelka was desperate for food. While other children made shapes with play jelly, he tried to eat it. He plucked a half-eaten pear from a bin and then grubbed around in a sandpit for dried beans that he tried to eat. Two days later, the four-year-old was dead.”

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The Independent, 1st August 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Daniel Pelka murder: mother and stepfather face life sentences – The Guardian

Posted August 1st, 2013 in child abuse, murder, news, social services by sally

“The mother and stepfather of a four-year-old boy who was battered to death after being subjected to a six-month regime of starvation and physical torture will be jailed for life on Friday after being found guilty of murdering the boy, whose body was so emaciated that one experienced health worker compared it to that of a concentration camp victim.”

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The Guardian, 31st July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Wasted costs against local authority in private law proceedings by James Hargan – Sovereign Chambers

Posted July 31st, 2013 in costs, family courts, local government, news, reports, residence orders, social services, wasted costs orders by sally

“In HB, PB, and OB –v- London Borough of Croydon [2013] EWHC 1956 (Fam) Cobb J had to consider whether or not to make an order that a Local Authority which had been directed to file a section 37 report, and whose failure to do so properly had led to wasted costs, should pay those wasted costs of aborted days of hearing. The power to make such a costs order was in the discretion of the court (Senior Courts Act 1981 s51(1)) and, by reference to FPR 2010 28.1, the court could make such order as it thought just. The Local Authority was sufficiently closed connected with the litigation, and its failings were so serious, as to justify making what the court was urged to regard as an exceptional order.”

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Sovereign Chambers, 19th July 2013

Source: www.sovereignchambers.co.uk

Judicial review funding cuts may leave vulnerable teenagers at risk – The Guardian

Posted July 29th, 2013 in budgets, judicial review, news, social services, young persons by sally

“Hundreds of vulnerable teenagers will be at risk of harm or falling into prostitution under government plans to restrict judicial review, lawyers specialising in actions against local authorities have warned.”

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The Guardian, 29th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk