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That was in 2000. The abusers had moved from borough to borough. Social workers were aware of unexplained injuries on the girl, yet did not protect her. A major inquiry headed by Lord Laming found failures in the system and staggering individual incompetence mixed with indifference. Some of the so-called professionals skilfully avoided any penalties for gross negligence. Everybody promised Never Again.

But just days ago, seven-year-old Khyra Ishaq apparently starved to death in Birmingham. And the nation collectively wailed again. Social workers were aware of the dangers posed by her family and did not intervene properly.

Speaking this week, Lord Laming said wearily: "I still don't have full confidence in the abilities of social services to protect children who are known to them."

Note the last five words. We are not talking about children being abused in hidden corners but families already identified by social workers as dysfunctional and unsafe. How does it come to pass that in spite of this information, vulnerable children are left to suffer severe neglect and abuse?

Could it be that social workers are today much too worried about false charges when these come to light? There have been some shocking stories of suffering and injustice over the years of parents wrongly accused of child abuse by social workers and doctors. Some never recover from the trauma.

That may have led to a culture of extreme timidity in the world of child protection. I hear from many medical and family experts that children are not getting the help they need because the rights of the parents have become a priority. I can imagine the horror of being falsely charged with harming a child. Unimaginably worse, though, must be the terror and deep isolation of an abused child.

Better excessive zeal than the pervasive institutional cowardice that leaves such children unprotected. Each time a child is murdered in the family, it proves society doesn't care enough. The little ones, as Berthe says, must come first - but still don't. What a terrible indictment - and how shamefully true.