Three lose jobs over Baby P tragedy

9:22pm Monday 1st December 2008

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Three senior figures from Haringey Council have lost their jobs over the Baby P tragedy.

Children's Secretary Ed Balls said an independent report had painted a "devastating and damning" picture of failings in the north London local authority's systems.

He confirmed that council leader George Meehan and Cabinet member for children and young people Liz Santry had quit, while the head of children's services, Sharon Shoesmith, has been removed from her post.

Mr Balls said he had ordered a new serious case review into the death of Baby P, with an executive summary to be published by the end of March.

Mr Balls described the conclusions of the inspectors' report as "devastating" and said all of their recommendations must be accepted by Haringey.

He announced that he has directed the council to remove Ms Shoesmith and install Hampshire County Council's director of children's services, John Coughlan, in her place.

Mr Coughlan was seconded to Haringey last month to oversee children's services in the wake of the Baby P trial.

Mr Balls said: "Overall, the inspectors' findings are, I have to say, devastating. Their report sets out detailed recommendations, all of which must now be accepted in full.

"Having studied their report I've decided to take immediate action. My first priority is to put in place a new leadership and management team in Haringey children's services to ensure that vulnerable children in the borough are properly protected."

Mr Balls told a press conference the public had been "shocked" by the Baby P case. He said social workers, police and other officials who dealt with children's safety often worked in "challenging circumstances". But he added: "They must also be accountable for the decisions and when things go badly wrong people want to know why and what can be done about it."