RIP Baby Star Hobson

And nothing to do with the first people to receive a report that a child is being abused?
"Oh sorry, no money. Malicious report"

But let's not forget that the Labour government always has to clear up the mess left by the Tories.

Laughable if it wasn’t so serious. I think you’ll find it’s the other way round!

And there you have it. I left the role of a children and families social worker, of which child protection played a key part, five years ago for the exact same reasons as highlighted by this article. Political correctness (akin to walking on eggshells) and the Neo-liberal dogma of welfare fiscal retrenchment adopted by local authorities of all colours, along with good old managerialsm, is the reason we are where we are at. Trust me there have been hundreds of Baby P's that go unreported and the truth of the matter is the system is broken, clapped out dead. I was even told I cared too much by a manager more worried about their contract being renewed come contract renegotiation time. My advice to anybody thinking of becoming a social worker, if you are not a robot don't do it because you will not be able to sleep at night. The day I left, I said if you spent as much energy as you do on adopting politically correct practise, we might have saved a few more kids.

Couldn’t agree more.

But hey! Let’s forget about the kids let’s get political! Sickening and a perfect illustration of all that’s wrong with SS and the uncaring, point scoring liberal left.

This is just tragic and unforgiveable.

However, I am concerned about how social workers are being portrayed. There are many excellent members of staff who work tirelessly for the vulnerable in society. But they have so little back-up from managers, so few resources, so much red tape and legalities to negotiate when concerns are validly raised.

I fear few people will be willing to enter the profession until the higher management get their act together and provide a supportive environment - firstly and most importantly for those at risk, but also for the staff managing that risk.

Sick to the stomach---again, over yet another cold-blooded murder. This can't go on !
Poor poor gorgeous little child and the torture she endured.
At Peace x Heartbreaking.

Managing the risk involves remembering the basic tenet of care, which is your duty of care.
To report a risk.
It's that simple, it doesnt cost, and is as easy as writing out a statement detailing what has been said to you, or what you have seen.
It's a cop out to write it all off as lack of funding.
How can any investigation be done when things never get off the starting block in the first case?

tickingbird, you've said it ! Well done.

It's easier for them to ostracise those who are an easy target than those who are likely to fall through the net !
My family are living proof of that.
For every " easy ride " there are children such as this little girl being ignored. Point-scoring is their aim, adoption a bonus !

tickingbird

^But let's not forget that the Labour government always has to clear up the mess left by the Tories.^

Laughable if it wasn’t so serious. I think you’ll find it’s the other way round!

You only have to look at what a state education was in when Blair came to power. Schools with holes in the roof delapidated outdated buildings severely understaffed. Why? Because the Tories didn't want to spend money. The same process is happening now. Schools are just managing but everything is pared to the bone.
That's the mess left by small state Tories.

So how does any of this excuse reports of Star's abuse being dismissed as malicious?

No words…

MissAdventure

I'm not sure how lack of funding resulted in social services dismissing relatives concerns, calling them "malicious" and ignoring that they were told they would have another Baby P case on their hands.
I work in care, it's underfunded, but that doesn't absolve me of the responsibility to actually care and do my job properly when I am with someone.

?????
Nail on head.

tickingbird

But hey! Let’s forget about the kids let’s get political! Sickening and a perfect illustration of all that’s wrong with SS and the uncaring, point scoring liberal left.

It isn't point scoring it's believing that as a society we all have responsibility for caring for the poorest the weakest and the most vulnerable, and we do that through paying taxes which pay for the support services needed. Cut those services and of course you increase the risk to children.
This is interesting reading
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publication/performance-tracker-2019/children-social-care

More younger less experienced social workers. More children at risk. An increase in the number of agency workers. It's a broken system.

MissAdventure

So how does any of this excuse reports of Star's abuse being dismissed as malicious?

Inexperienced social workers are easily manipulated and fed false information by some parents who are highly skilled at dealing with the system, having spent most of their lives in contact with it.

The main training in any social care setting is safeguarding.
It's drummed into staff at all times.
It is clear, and was said by the head of children's services on an interview a week or so ago. (Arthur case)
I'm not sure how many more ways it can be emphasised to staff.
There is something very, very wrong if they have failed to get the message.

A re-training programme is badly needed for both police and social services. They should be able to tell if someone is genuine or whether they're pulling the wool as they can't seem to get this right.
Over zealousness can backfire if/ when someone is genuine.

Everyone would be up in arms if it was suggested that young, academically trained social workers weren't up to the job, though, wouldn't they?
If someone dared to say that they lack life experience all hell would break loose.

Unfortunately, while people are busy being outraged by statements like that, the real victims are being battered to death.
Star died of a heart attack when her body could take no more.

More affluent regions of uk have just over 10 cases per social workers- less affluent areas about 30. This is the reality, and it does mean that such cases will probably continue. This is the reality.

They certainly implement safeguarding's and S42's quickly in the case of vulnerable adults ime

That bruise on her face ?

''It's a cop out to write it all off as lack of funding.''

who on earth has done that? Nobody. Those women were evil and 100% responsible for this cruel tragedy. But young, inexperienced social workers, or others who are totally burnt out and who feel totally unsupported, with massive case loads of the worst, un-imaginable, most tragic cases- really does NOT help. The system is bled dry, just like the NHS.

Yes, a 16 month old vs a nightclub bouncer.
The poor, poor little girl.

People have done that, kali.
It's the first thing that is said in these cases.
My point is that writing a factual report and passing it on to the relevant person costs nothing.

I agree with all of trisher's posts on this thread. If there were more money, and more time allocated to each client then of course there would be more opportunities for social workers (and police) to be persistent and insist on seeing the child even if they had to be taken to her elsewhere. If more resources were available, then inexperienced social workers wouldn't be dealing with cases like this alone, and managers wouldn't be worrying about losing their jobs because of cuts. Social work managers and senior social workers are 'time-served' themselves, incidentally. They are not 'pen pushers' as some seem to assume.

What I don't understand in either this case or that of Arthur is why the 'carers' kept the children with them - both of them had loving relatives who would, presumably, have taken them in, even temporarily until new homes could be found. The only explanation I can come up with is that they were so sadistic that they enjoyed the abuse, which doesn't bear thinking about. Neither seems to be a case of 'carers' who just couldn't cope, or who were simply inadequate, though - there is nothing remotely understandable about either situation.

It's utterly heartbreaking.

I can fully understand how cases can fall through the cracks of a broken, overworked system.
The point being that the child would have to be accepted into that system in the first place.
So far, that doesnt seem to be the case.
Concerns were dismissed as malicious.

I also know how my neighbour tried to get help for her grandchildren, and had the police visit to warn her off from harassing her son and partner.