So – sentences have now been handed out following the trial over the death of Baby P.

This coincided with the publication of the second Serious Case Review which finally lays bare the litany of failures by every agency involved and by all the individuals who did not do their job properly.

What is so shocking is that virtually no-one did what I am sure the people would expect when a child is on the at risk register.

As to the future. Well, Haringey (who issued a statement then bunkered down not willing to face the media – which doesn’t bode well for a change in attitude) would like this to draw a line under the whole sorry story. But there should be no lines drawn. That is what they did after Victoria Climbie when they promised this would never happen again and that lessons had been learned – when clearly they hadn’t.

If Haringey Council doesn’t change its rotten culture of secrecy, cover-ups and acceptance of inadequate performance – then there can be no assurance that a few years down the line another vulnerable child will not suffer again as those meant to protect them fail to do their jobs properly.

So – Haringey Council knew that Baby P’s mother had a boyfriend – in fact they had a video of her talking about him. And there was a record in the case notes. And yet when asked during the furore of the first trial – as ever – they denied that they knew that he was living there . Just when we think this horrific tragedy will have bottomed out – and there surely can’t be any more shocking revelations of Haringey’s incompetence and lies – we find out there are.

Panorama revealed the existence of this video interview with Baby Peter’s mother last night – a video made by a senior social worker.

Yet another reason why we still need a public inquiry. So far, the spotlight has more or less remained on the Children’s Services department at Haringey – but given how much is still surfacing – just imagine what lies beneath in terms of how Haringey is working (or not working).

There has been no real examination of the gagging clauses that prohibit staff who leave from speaking about their former department. There has been no examination of Haringey’s arrogance in its failure to listen to whistle blowers, the family or opposition politicians – all who raised real concerns about child protection in Haringey. There has been no examination of the budgetary issues that gave rise to a reported memo instructing the department not to take more children into care. There has been scant attention to Ofsted finding Haringey ‘good’ when it wanted to make them look good – and then ‘bad’ when heads had to roll. (Panorama did at least touch on this – possibly because when I did an extensive background briefing for them I emphasised the lack of scrutiny of their role). The health team has thus far got off virtually unscathed – with its management bullying unquestioned – even though there was a locum doctor who failed to recognise a broken back and ribs. Why was there a locum? Why had all the paediatrician’s left in the previous two years? And so o and so on………

Without a public inquiry – much of what went wrong will stay wrong. Moreover – allowed to fester under the radar – the culture which was the rotten bottom of what goes on at Haringey will remain.

Busy Saturday morning, so here’s the story from The Times about the latest heart-wrenching news from Haringey,

The failings of social workers at Haringey Council have again been exposed in a criminal trial.

The local authority, which is still reeling from the criticism it received after its failing in the Baby P case, confirmed the two-year-old rape victim was known to social workers and was on its “at risk” register.

Officials at the North London borough said last night that a Serious Case Review was under way into how the girl could have been raped while in their care…

The Serious Case Review into the care the child received from social workers is being conducted by Graham Badman, chair of the Haringey Local Safeguarding Children Board.

But Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, said that more questions about the performance of the council needed to be answered. “We desperately need a public inquiry to get to the bottom of this,” she said.

Thought I’d continue with my mini-experiment with YouTube films – especially as plaster cast has not yet come off! – so here are my views on the staff sackings over Baby P:

You can also watch the film on the YouTube website here.

The BBC reports:

A social worker and three managers have been sacked for failings in the care of Baby P, Haringey Council has said…

Haringey Council said Cecilia Hitchen, the deputy director of children and families, had been dismissed for “loss of trust and confidence” following the damning Ofsted report in December last year.

A council spokesman said social worker Maria Ward, team manager Gillie Christou and head of safeguarding services Clive Preece were sacked for gross misconduct.