26/10/2010

Baby P 'Failed By All Agencies'

Official reports released have found the death of Baby Peter Connelly was due to the incompetence of all staff who came into contact with him.

Toddler Peter died, in Haringey, north London in August 2007, after suffering months of abuse.

He was found with more than 50 injuries over an eight-month period, during which he was visited 60 times by the authorities.

The newly published review reveals incompetence of social workers, doctors, lawyers and police.

Last year, his mother, her boyfriend and a lodger were jailed for Peter's death.

The review said: "In this case, the practice of the majority, both individually and collectively... was incompetent.

"Their approach was completely inadequate and did not meet the challenge of the case."

The report stated Baby Peter's "horrifying death could and should have been prevented".

If the right approach had been taken then the situation would have been "stopped in its tracks at the first serious incident".

Author of the report, and now chair of Haringey's children's safeguarding board, Graham Badman, said the case contained many lessons for child protection agencies around the country.

The report indicated how agencies failed to realise that Tracey Connelly's violent boyfriend, Stephen Barker, was residing at the family home and might have been abusing Peter.

This is the second review into the case of the toddler. The first review, completed by Haringey Social Services, was found to be "inadequate" by government inspectors.

The report comes after Social Workers, at the centre of the case, failed in their claim for unfair dismissal.

Gillie Christou and Maria Ward argued they were sacked unfairly by Haringey Council after a the public outcry about the boy's death.

However a tribunal found the authority acted reasonably because of serious failings in the care they provided.

(BMcN/GK)

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