Borough child services rapped over report into abuse

AS the trial of a Thurrock mum for the alleged murder of her baby son entered its second week, the borough’s Local Safeguarding Children Board found itself branded as “inadequate” over its handling of another child abuse case.

With Thurrock Council already preparing itself for a possible backlash over the death of ‘baby Jack’ - and in the shadow of national controversy over ‘baby P’ who died in Haringey - the Thurrock children’s protection group found itself named in an Ofsted report as one of 38 authorities adversely judged by the watchdog childcare organisation.

The council has refused to comment on the death of baby Jack, though it has been confirmed that the child was handed back to its parents after being taken into care for possible adoption at birth.

Aged just three months, the child suffered injuries described as “horrific” in court and he had six broken bones and serious head injuries. He died 13 months later.

The Gazette understands the council plans to make a detailed statement about baby Jack at the conclusion of the trial.

However, it now finds itself linked with criticism over child protection procedures following children’s deaths.

The case report that was bungled in Thurrock remains a secret, but it could be the case of ‘baby G’ who died by being smothered, or ‘baby F’ described as a “concealed pregnancy”. Details of both were discussed at a Local Safe-guarding Children Board meeting on April 17 this year.

And at council’s Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee on July 1 this year a “12 month update of the work of the Thurrock Local Safeguard-ing Children Board” report was produced by its manager David Watts.

He wrote: “Since April 2007 Ofsted have been analysing the quality of Serious Case Review Reports.

“Thurrock has had one report analysed by Ofsted in that time, and is currently in the process of completing another Serious Case Review for submission to external bodies.

“Ofsted judged the first Review inadequate.

On Ofsted’s findings, he added: ”A major contributory factor was that the report was not analytical enough in content, and did not accurately reflect the level of debate at the Serious Case Review Panel.”

Ofsted published the results of its report “Learning lessons, taking action” this week, warning that dozens of local authorities around the country are taking inadequate action to avoid repetition of serious abuse cases.

Independent chair of the Thurrock Local Safeguarding Children Board, Amy Weir, said of Ofsted’s report: “Thurrock’s independently chaired Local Safeguarding Child Board (LSCB) submitted a Serious Case Review report in August 2007.

“Even though this report was completed prior to the introduction by Ofsted of criteria to assess the quality of reviews, the inspectors stated that it did not fully meet all of those criteria.

“The LSCB was not required to resubmit the report, however partners felt that it should be redone.

“A meeting was requested with the inspectors and the report was rewritten addressing the new criteria. Inspectors’ comments were favourable on the resubmitted report.”

Local Safeguarding Children Boards which include local authorities, health bodies, the police and others, are required to carry out serious case reviews when a child dies and abuse or neglect is known or suspected.


They must also carry out a serious case review when a child sustains a potentially life-threatening injury or serious and permanent impairment to health and development through abuse or neglect, or when a child has been subject to particularly serious sexual abuse.

Serious review cases must also be considered when a child’s parent has been murdered, or a child has been killed by a parent with a mental illness.

Also when the case gives rise to concerns about inter-agency working to protect children from harm.

A number of large public and voluntary organisations have signed up to be part of Thurrock LSCB.

These include:
Thurrock Council
Essex Police
South West Essex Primary Care Trust
South Essex Partnership Trust
Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals Trust
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
NSPCC
Thurrock Community Voluntary Services
Child And Family Court Advisory and Support Service
Connexions in Essex
National Probation Service - Essex
Thurrock Youth Offending Team
Thurrock Primary Heads Association
Thurrock Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges