Westminster Serious Case Review: Torture case highlights need for individual contact with workers
Sarah Cooper
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Children should have more access to social workers on an individual basis in cases where there are parenting concerns, a report has found.
The Westminster Local Safeguarding Children Board carried out a seriouscase review after a child in its care was tortured by her parents.
The independent review looked at the actions of staff who dealt with thefour-year-old, including Westminster City Council, Westminster PrimaryCare Trust, the police, St Mary's Hospital, and Central and North WestLondon Mental Health Trust.
The review found the girl, who had cerebral palsy, had not seen a socialworker for two months because her mother had claimed on five occasionsthat she was out with her father.
Review recommendations included social workers having direct contactwith the child when there are concerns about parenting abilities. "Thechild's comments and views need to be sought and recordedappropriately," the review said.
This should also happen when looked-after children are to be returnedhome. "Children returning home, or changing placements, must be seenalone to allow them to speak freely," it added.
The review said that when external agencies are involved there should beregular review meetings with the local authority and there should bemulti-agency training on domestic violence and child protection.
Key findings in the review highlighted professional miscommunicationleading to a recommendation for residential assessment not beingconsidered, that professionals didn't criticise colleagues' views and astringent assessment process led to an inappropriately positive view ofparenting abilities.
According to review author Ron Lock: "A more rigorous assessment shouldhave uncovered the poor relationship that would likely have existedbetween the father and his four-year-old."
Julie Jones, chair of the safeguarding board and deputy chief executiveof children and community services at Westminster, said: "Staff who sawthis child and her family could not have foreseen the injuries shesustained."
The girl's parents, Kimberley Harte and Samuel Duncan, were sentenced toa total of 22 years in jail.
- See Leader, p15.
