Well worth a watch for the new figures they’ve unearthed about how Haringey has been looking after children:
Lynne Featherstone
Well worth a watch for the new figures they’ve unearthed about how Haringey has been looking after children:
Lynne Featherstone 
I am ASHAMED to live in Haringey. We’ve always known the Council is incapable of organising anything useful except collecting and wasting our money….. and this is no exception.
I’m a Haringey resident and work for the NHS with social workers from Haringey. They work very hard and achieve good results. They are getting a terrible amount of abuse at the moment because of this. I have heard of vile anonymous calls to offices with nothing to do with the case.It is a dreadful fate for baby P, but I am concerned that we do not wrap ourselves further in bureaucracy and ensure there are good quality, high-valued staff out on the ground looking after the vulnerable in our society. The regular lambasting of social workers will lead to even more poor morale, and poor recruitment and retention in the London area. Some thought needs to go into ensuring a balanced view.
Hi PM: I am similarly a resident in the London borough of Haringey. Much as I agree with your final statements, I was disappointed that social workers involved in Baby P’s case, wilfully failed in their duty of care towards child. I support and sympathise with campaigners and local residents whom are angry at the way things have move forward, and the refusal of Cabinet councillors- from Haringey Labour Group- to resign. The case of Baby P is tragic and appalling. I think I speak for everyone when I say that. However, I agree with you, to some extent, that the use of verbally abusive language or inappropriate language is completely unacceptable. The local authority has a responsibility to take whatever action is needed to ensure that such a tragedy cannot happen again (despite this being the second time) and that all children are able to grow up safe in this particular borough. Furthermore, I am disappointed by the fact that no councillor has resigned for what has happen. None of them actually seem to have a concious nor do they want to resign on principle. I agree with you that it is all too easy to point the finger of blame at the social workers, who are at the sharp end of some of the most difficult and complex cases imaginable and who are submerged by mounds of paperwork. A more urgent question is: why are we still in the dark over who had ultimate responsibility for this case, and where does the buck stop?It stops with Sharon Shoesmith, George Meehan (Leader of the Council), Dr Ida O’Donovan, and Cllr Liz Santry. All of them should resign for this mess!
pm – thanks for this. I agree and that is why I have been careful to reiterate that last time the senior Labour politicians and officers stayed in place and suffered no consequences – and only Lisa A, the social worker on the end of the food chain, took all the pain.What I do believe though is that we need a fresh start so that social workers can work in Haringey supported and in an atmosphere of openness and transparency.For those front line staff involved in the Baby P case – they should be treated in the normal way in terms of what happens based on whether their behaviour is a matter for a disciplinary action or exoneration.That is not a matter for me – other than to say that it is the rest of the management chain as well and the senior posts that need scrutiny and accountability.