Westminster Social Services: failing to protect, again.

The Observer has the horrific story of how Westminster social workers ignored the danger signs of a genuine case of child abuse and returned a young child to her parents, Kimberley Harte and Samuel Duncan. Harte and Duncan then spent seven weeks torturing the child by pouring boiling liquid over her hands, ripping out her hair, kicking her repeatedly in the groin and locking her in the toilet. The pair have been found guilty and will be sentenced later this week.

Meanwhile, it is unlikely that the the guilty social workers will be sacked. Rather they will be left free to continue their incompetent work. Already the notoriously corrupt social services establishment is closing ranks. According to the independent review of the case,

...what happened could not be attributed to 'professional errors' or 'poor practice'.

Really? Which rather begs the question of what does constitute a professional error or poor practice. Well may the Observer draw a parallel with the Climbie scandal.

Update 6.2.07

John Hemming MP, a notable campaigner on questions of child protection, has a good analysis of the questions raised by the case.

Tags: Child Protection, Westminster Social Services.