Haringey Council email insisted 'much had changed' since Climbie » Local Government » 24dash.com

Days after Baby P's death a senior Haringey councillor insisted "much had changed" at the local authority since the murder of Victoria Climbie seven years earlier, it was disclosed today.

Liz Santry, the council's cabinet member for children and young people, used an email to criticise the media for linking the two tragedies.

The message was sent to all Haringey councillors on August 13, ten days after Baby P died in a blood-spattered cot having suffered more than 50 injuries, opposition Liberal Democrats said today.

Ms Santry wrote in the email: "You will have read the very sad news of a 17-month-old child... who died on August 3 from serious injuries.

"The press has covered the case this weekend and of course has chosen to link it with events from the past. As you are all aware much has changed since these events."

The disclosure came as the Government was accused of "passing the buck" after being alerted to concerns about Haringey's child protection procedures six months before Baby P's death.

Downing Street insisted today the correct procedures had been followed concerning the whistleblower's claims.

"There is an appropriate body for complaints regarding social care," a spokesman said.

"It is right that complaints should be directed to the Commission for Social Care Inspection to take appropriate action."

He rejected Conservative accusations of "bureaucratic buck-passing".

The spokesman was unable to say when Gordon Brown had become aware of the whistleblower's claims, but added: "He's remained in very close touch with the Secretary of State and has clearly taken a close interest in what has been a tragic case."

Whistleblower Nevres Kemal (pictured), a former Haringey social worker, wrote voicing her fears to then-health secretary Patricia Hewitt in February last year.

Officials responded that ministers were in no position to deal with the allegation, suggesting instead it should be referred to the social care inspectorate.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) said: "Our records show that we received a letter dated February
16 2007, that was forwarded to us from the Department of Health, detailing an employment tribunal issue with Haringey Council, and containing an allegation that child protection procedures were not being followed in Haringey.

"Officials from this department replied on March 21 2007.

"In that letter they made the point that ministers could not comment on the specific details of the employment tribunal case.

"Secondly, as is standard practice, they suggested that the individual should notify the relevant inspectorate, the Commission for Social Care Inspection, to take appropriate action and they provided the necessary contact details.

"The permanent secretary of the DCSF has looked at the reply and is confident that the proper procedures were followed."

Ms Kemal subsequently received an injunction against speaking publicly about her claims.

Her lawyer, Lawrence Davies, said the letter was also sent to the inspectorate's chairman and chief executive in February last year.

But the complaint "got pushed from pillar to post", from one department to another, and eventually the injunction stopped Ms Kemal speaking out, he said.

Mr Davies told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "If the social care inspectorate had acted on it or the ministers had acted on it, it seems hard to believe that the situation in which Baby P was seen 60 times in total... presumably several times after February, couldn't have been averted."

He added: "You would have assumed that the minister would have been apprised of it as we were calling for a public inquiry and effectively the inference was that children were being put at serious risk in Haringey and we stated that the situation seemed to be out of control."

Local Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone accused the Government of "passing the buck" after it was alerted to Ms Kemal's concerns.

She told Sky News: "You would think with child protection issues and Haringey, to have those two names in the frame following Victoria Climbie, that the Government would say 'we want to know what's going on, we're going in, we need to find out'.

"They just passed the buck."

Ms Santry apologised on behalf of Haringey Council yesterday for not doing more to protect Baby P.

She said: "He died over 15 months ago, and for those past 15 months in Haringey there has been a huge amount of anguish, and endless discussion about what more we might have done to save this little boy.

"I have to say that we are truly sorry that we did not do more to protect him.

"Our duty is to protect our children. We did not do so in this instance and I would like to say how truly sorry we are."

But opposition politicians said this apology was too late and criticised her email to councillors in August last year.

Robert Gorrie, leader of Haringey Council's Lib Dem group, said: "When you consider that this councillor took 48 hours to apologise, and now we read what the leading councillors really thought at the time, you have to question whether they really are willing to learn the lessons.

"This shows more than ever that we need a complete clear-out of the Labour councillors in charge.

"In this terrible situation, we must have confidence in the people at the top. That is why the cabinet member and the leader of the council must resign."

Haringey was severely criticised after the murder of eight-year-old Victoria Climbie in 2000.

Fresh failings were made public on Tuesday at the end of the Old Bailey trial of those responsible for Baby P's death.

Social workers, police and health professionals failed to save the little boy despite making 60 visits over eight months.

The 32-year-old boyfriend of Baby P's mother and another man, Jason Owen, 36, were convicted at the Old Bailey on Tuesday of causing or allowing his death.

The child's 27-year-old mother had already pleaded guilty to the same charge, which carries a maximum 14-year jail term.

All three have been remanded in custody and will be sentenced on December 15.

Baby P's mother and her boyfriend cannot be identified for legal reasons, but they have been named on several internet sites.

Children's Secretary Ed Balls ordered an urgent inquiry into Haringey's child welfare services on Wednesday.

The investigation, which started yesterday and is due to make an initial report by December 1, is being carried out by Ofsted, the Healthcare Commission and the Chief Inspector of Constabulary.

Ms Hewitt's office said the former minister was never made aware of the whistleblower's allegations.

"As the Department of Health has made clear, the responsibility for children's services was transferred from the Department of Health to the Department for Education in 2003," a spokeswoman said.

"As a result the letter from Miss Kemal's lawyers about Haringey children's services was, quite properly, transferred by the Department of Health to the Department for Education.

"The letter was never seen by Patricia Hewitt."