RIP Baby Star Hobson

Ah, so it's the public's fault?
Nothing whatsoever to do with those employed to protect the vulnerable?
So, if I bash someone in my care it's due to lack of funding?
If someone suspects I'm bashing them and reports me, and those reports (multiple) are dismissed, then that's also due to lack of funding?

If groups of men sexually abuse young girls (minors) and social workers write it off as lifestyle choices made by those minors, then that's also due to lack of funding?????

Without sounding disrespectful to the baby I have to turn the volume down when the news is on about this case. I was doing the same when little Arthur was on the news. My insides were in a knot and unlike me, I couldn't eat. That's how much these things get to me.

Yes, Shinamae, I agree. We do care about this, most of us care very deeply. I am filled with rage at those two women, and the case of little Arthur recently.

Shinamae

Hetty58

We've had severe cutbacks in council funding, social care, education, mental health support, police, NHS and housing - the whole safety net - since at least 2010. People struggle to do their jobs with underfunding and understaffing, isn't that obvious?.

Bradford children's services had an 'inadequate' rating way back in 2018, (and that's Ofsted, with their low 'standards') with social workers trying to protect children in caseloads of 50, meaning high staff turnover and pressure to close cases.

It seems to me that the public don't really care, don't want to fund decent services, ignore all the others, the two children killed every week by neglect or abuse (the ones we don't hear about). Then there's the predictable outcry when a violent case makes the headlines, the calls for severe punishment, the blame put on social workers. Still, people vote again to pay less tax, the hypocrites.

“It seems to me that the public don't really care, don't want to fund decent services” Who the hell are you to say that “the public don’t really care?”how dare you!!

Well said Hetty58
If you vote for a reduction in taxes and a cutback of services, if you believe in a "small state" then you either don't understand or don't care. It has to be one or the other Shinmae And all the tears in the world won't stop another child dying, only proper funding will help.

What never ceases to amaze me is that when you look at the adults involved they are always of similar ilk: gormless, unemployable, no purpose to their lives. Always the same types over and over again, that poor sweet baby.

Hetty58

We've had severe cutbacks in council funding, social care, education, mental health support, police, NHS and housing - the whole safety net - since at least 2010. People struggle to do their jobs with underfunding and understaffing, isn't that obvious?.

Bradford children's services had an 'inadequate' rating way back in 2018, (and that's Ofsted, with their low 'standards') with social workers trying to protect children in caseloads of 50, meaning high staff turnover and pressure to close cases.

It seems to me that the public don't really care, don't want to fund decent services, ignore all the others, the two children killed every week by neglect or abuse (the ones we don't hear about). Then there's the predictable outcry when a violent case makes the headlines, the calls for severe punishment, the blame put on social workers. Still, people vote again to pay less tax, the hypocrites.

“It seems to me that the public don't really care, don't want to fund decent services” Who the hell are you to say that “the public don’t really care?”how dare you!!

I don't often cry during a news bulletin, but I did at this.
How in humanity can anyone do this to innocent little children. I am appalled at the inefficiency and carelessness that allows this to happen.
Most of all, of course, it's down to the two evil women who did this, but why do social services etc. fail so often?
And I agree with Hetty, - there have been so many cut backs in vital services that it is a disgrace.

We've had severe cutbacks in council funding, social care, education, mental health support, police, NHS and housing - the whole safety net - since at least 2010. People struggle to do their jobs with underfunding and understaffing, isn't that obvious?.

Bradford children's services had an 'inadequate' rating way back in 2018, (and that's Ofsted, with their low 'standards') with social workers trying to protect children in caseloads of 50, meaning high staff turnover and pressure to close cases.

It seems to me that the public don't really care, don't want to fund decent services, ignore all the others, the two children killed every week by neglect or abuse (the ones we don't hear about). Then there's the predictable outcry when a violent case makes the headlines, the calls for severe punishment, the blame put on social workers. Still, people vote again to pay less tax, the hypocrites.

Pure evil. Those poor poor children. Their dear little faces haunt you. Yes there are system failures but absolutely nothing can excuse the abusers for their wickedness. These are people acting in evil ways with no compassion.

What I really can’t understand is how anyone could dismiss all those referrals from different people. Even the mother’s own friend reported them. The bruise on her cheek looks like it extends down her neck.
I agree. Is there a central record of all incidents/referrals for one child? I remember when my daughter had an injury as a baby we were cross-questioned in hospital, and they knew that her brother had been checked out for a head injury a couple of weeks before - he had fallen at the swimming baths and banged his head. They were both seen at the same A&E, and it must be more complicated when different agencies are involved; but it seems sensible to have a synchronised system that would flag concerns, even if it is just used for children.

The degree needs to go along with the box ticking; most of which was brought in under Blair.
I'm not sure what this means. Are you suggesting that social workers do or don't need degrees? And do you mean that that box-ticking is good or bad?

I still feel literally sick about all this and still cannot stop Crying. When you see the pictures of that little girl especially when her mum asks if she loves her and the little girl hesitates is so,so heart breaking. And the photo of her in a yellow dress and a hat looking up whoever is taking the photo and you can see the fear in her eyes… hanging is far too good for this pair and all child abusers,they need to be made to suffer as they have made these poor poor children suffer.. I would literally put them in dungeons with just enough food to keep them alive and never to see the light of day again..

Her grandfather committed suicide over it.

What I really can’t understand is how anyone could dismiss all those referrals from different people. Even the mother’s own friend reported them. The bruise on her cheek looks like it extends down her neck.

I’ve said all along that it’s not about individuals; the whole system needs a complete overhaul. The degree needs to go along with the box ticking; most of which was brought in under Blair. Like the Shoesmith woman who stood outside court with her piechart showing how her department had dutifully ticked off all the right boxes. Didn’t stop Baby Peter being tortured though.

More lessons to be learned I suppose. It makes you wonder how many poor little souls are out there at this very moment being ill-treated by the very people who should protect them.

Reading about the violence, emotional-physical abuse and torture Star suffered is devastating.

There’s another report in the press today about a toddler, murdered by stepfather. That little girl had been taken to Manchester RI several times with significant bruising, I think by her maternal grandmother. Each injury coincided with the infant being left in sole care of the man.
She was assessed by several specialists, including a paediatrician. She had surgery to an internal injury. The doctors involved all apologised and acknowledged non accidental injury should have been obvious.

I agree with trisher’ s comments about children’s services. I’d add that just as it’s become more difficult to recruit and retain specialist child protection social workers and police. Paediatricians and other doctors became reluctant to get involved in safeguarding. Yes, because of its complexity and the constant anxiety you may miss something and be pilloried.

I am not defending poor practice- something I’ve wrongly been accused of.

No, it's unbelievable, isn't it. I can't stop thinking about it.

Poor little Star. She really didn’t have a chance. I don’t understand how anyone can be so cruel to a baby.

Kali2

''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.

You did.
Perhaps you forgot:

Kali2 Tue 14-Dec-21 19:04:40
And don't tell me this tragedy is NOT political- it is, 100%.

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.

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.

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.

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

''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.

That bruise on her face ?

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

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.