Police and Social Services today (Friday) admitted
Police and Social Services today (Friday) admitted tragically failing little Anna Climbie and confirmed the workers directly responsible for her welfare have been suspended.
Lisa Arthurworrey and WPC Karen Jones are both awaiting possible disciplinary action after the results of an independent inquiry into the case are published.
Secretary of State Alan Milburn is to receive a report on the involvement of Haringey and Brent social services, the police Child Protection Team and the Health Authority.
Anne Bristow, director of Social Services for Haringey, said five staff had been identified by its internal disciplinary investigation.
One is suspended.
She added: ‘Haringey deeply regrets the death of Anna Climbie which we should have been able to prevent.
The system failed Anna and we are part of that system.
‘As the lead child protection agency we could have acted to protect this child and accept responsibility for our failure.
‘Success is dependent on individuals from each agency following through their duties and we are reliant on the assessment of individuals in these cases.
‘Lisa Arthurworrey has been suspended pending the inquiry that is made.
Whether Anna should have been allowed to go back home we need to look at how that decision was reached.
‘I hope that lessons are learnt that full cooperation is needed between these agencies across professional and geographical boundaries.
‘Haringey council are deeply committed to ensure the life chances of all children are promoted.
We have a strong commitment of care about children.
On this occasion it was not enough to protect her.
‘
She added that they continued to suffer difficulties in taking on permanent staff at Haringey Borough Council.
Commander Carole Howlett, who has responsibility for the Child Protection Teams, said eight officers have been served with disciplinary papers.
‘They include a mixture of Inspectors, Sergeants and Constables.
One officer has been removed from operational duties, one has been moved to another part of the force, while the others remain in child protection.
‘We accept entirely there were shortcomings individually and collectively as a force.
Child abuse will be one of the over-arching priorities for ourselves.
‘The secretary of state for Health, Alan Milburn, will be requiring a full independent inquiry to be conducted into social care, health and police agencies to ensure such an appalling tragedy cannot happen again.
‘We will cooperate fully with this inquiry whose report will be published.
‘
She said they would look at the recording practices of officers and ensure there is adequate supervision.
John Riordan, Medical Director if the North London Hospitals NHS Trust said no medical staff had been the subject of internal investigation.
He said he trusted the judgement of Dr Ruby Schwartz, the consultant who diagnosed scars on Anna as scabies.
‘We all accept that the whole system established to protect children from abuse failed Anna.
‘I am not prepared to comment on individual details of the case.
But I have confidence in that doctor.
She is still practising with my confidence.
She is a good doctor doing a good job.
‘Whether she did an imperfect job in this case will come out at the inquiry.
‘
ends
