Regular readers of this blog will know that I earn a living in social work- specifically, I manage mental health services, working mainly with vulnerable adults.
But the whole social work world has been hugely affected by the tragic circumstances of the death of Peter Connelly at the hands of his mother, her partner and a lodger.
And by the media circus that followed it.
It was interesting to hear Sharon Shoesmith, the former director of Social Work services for Haringey who was sacked following political intervention, speaking to a House of Commons Committee looking into the way we protect children.
She made the following points (some of which I had previously described- here.)
In her opening remarks to MPs, Ms Shoesmith said the statistics on child murders were shocking – and had stayed the same for more than 30 years.
The Baby Peter case had led to big changes in children’s social services, she said.
“For children, the impact has been far-reaching. Since 2008 the number coming into care has increased 30%. The number we have subject to a child protection plan has doubled. Yet this wider net seems to have had little impact on the number of children who die.”
She said in the year Peter had died – 2007 – a total of 54 other children in England had also died at the hands of their parents or other family members.
In the decade from 1999 to 2009, 539 children had died in this way, she said.
“These are shocking statistics and statistics that are not known. They are too abhorrent for us to consider,” she said.
She is right, I think, to point to the negative effect of the blame culture on those seeking to protect children.
The simple truth is that scapegoating obscures the real issues, and potentially real solutions.
this fragile tent 