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Social worker who warned ministers ‘was pushed from pillar to post’
Joe Murphy and Jack Lefley14 Nov 2008
THE lawyer for a whistleblower who warned that Haringey social services were failing to protect children — six months before the death of Baby P — accused ministers today of pushing his client “from pillar to post”.
Social worker Nevres Kemal asked her lawyer Lawrence Davies to write the letters to four ministers.
Among the ministers contacted was the then-Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt. She passed on the letter to another government department, which in turn contacted the quango responsible for standards in social work.
But between them they failed to save Baby P — and Ms Kemal was gagged and then fired by Haringey council, the same borough whose blunders failed to stop the murder of Victoria Climbié.
Mr Davies said today: “Hewitt bounced us onto the Department for Education and Skills... the DES then advised us to write to the Commission for Social Care Inspection, whom we had written to on the same day we had written to Hewitt, copying in the letter to Hewitt and the relevant material.
“By that time of course they had an order against us so we couldn't go back to the inspectorate. The inspectorate had been properly advised at the time and had done nothing.”
The Tory shadow secretary for children, families and schools Michael Gove today claimed that “what we seem to have had was bureaucratic buck-passing”.
But a Downing Street spokesman said the correct procedures had been followed.“There is an appropriate body for complaints regarding social care,” he said. “It is right that complaints should be directed to the Commission for Social Care Inspection to take appropriate action.”
Asked when Gordon Brown had become aware of the claims, Downing Street was unable to say. “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,” said his spokesman.
Haringey council gagged Miss Kemal with a court order after she went public with the case of seven children aged between three and 16 who were left for nine months with a stepfather who sexually and physically abused them.
Miss Kemal was suspended and later dismissed from her £34,000-a-year job. An employment tribunal found she had been singled out by her bosses because she was a whistleblower. Haringey agreed an undisclosed out-of-court settlement without admitting liability.
The Commission for Social Care Inspection today denied suggestions that it had not acted on the letter. Inspectors raised “these issues” directly with Haringey's social care services at a meeting on 12 March, weeks after Ms Kemal wrote to Ms Hewitt.
“We were satisfied that the council had dealt properly with the individual case raised by Ms Kemal,” the CSCI said. It said Haringey had agreed to follow recommendations made on “issues for improvement”.
The social care inspectorate did not pass the complaint to Ofsted, which took over responsibility for inspecting children's services in April last year. Ofsted said only ongoing complaints were forwarded to it — suggesting the inspectorate felt the matter was closed.
Reader views (21)
i think that what the lawyer done was wrong of course you had to take the baby away. of course every one knows babies cant talk so you could have putting cameras at the house so that you would have found evidence so i think what the lawyer was completely wrong.
- Steve Ansah, englang,london, 17/11/2008 19:00
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To 'Mark from Rochester'- how can it be right that the person that is sacked, is the one trying to bring to the attention of the outside world, the shortcomings within the system. I have worked within the Police and the Social Services. Common sense tells you what is right and wrong. When there are lives involved, mistakes can be fatal. You need the best equipped for the job, not the most qualified. A degree is worth nothing if you lack common sense. There are some very good people within the Social Services, but I have also seen many that should not be there.
- Paul Bradford, Monflanquin, France, 14/11/2008 18:40
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Well said Bob from London. Here! Here!
- Natalie, London, North London, 14/11/2008 18:07
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Well Val Daniels how does it feel to be completely out of touch with public opinion in the UK sitting over there in sunny Spain. This is not party political this is sheer outrage at the utter incompetence demonstrated by a local authority which has failed to protect the life of a child on the child protection register. If Cameron had not raised the issue in PMQ one suspects that Brown would have not have pushed the button to get the matter investigated. Compare Brown's comments today about this tragic matter with his comments at PMQ. He too was out of touch with public opinion and was more interested in using PMQ to promote his new unfounded image as the saviour of the world financial system.
- Bob, London, 14/11/2008 17:34
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What to say. I think we are all just fed up with 'correct procedures were followed'. Dont expect anything else, except lessons will be learned, the other favourite excuse. How many more kids will suffer in the learning phase.
I am in despair at the way the UK is run, and happy I got out
- Richard, Limoges France, 14/11/2008 17:19
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It's nice to see all these people calling for sackings from behind their desks in their cosy offices. I wonder how long any of them would last having to work in the real world and deal with real situations. Sadly, a baby died. He didn't die at the hands of social workers etc. Mistakes were made (and will be again in any system that has human involvement) and we should learn from those mistakes. What we should also do is celebrate the people that are willing to go into social care, child protection, teaching, healthcare and any other organisation that enriches the life of children making them safer, healthier and happier. For every one Baby P, hundreds of other children are in a safer place because of them.
- Mark, Rochester, 14/11/2008 16:21
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How is it this social worker didn't know the appropriate body to address her concerns to?
- Marley Stronge, London, 14/11/2008 15:59
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There is no surprise that the same government that actively advertises for benefit fraud 'whistleblowers' should utterly ignore and allow the dismissal of a child welfare 'whistleblower. The government, Haringey council, and the child's torturers are all equally responsible and should all be punished.But,however cynical it may be, we all know the outcome of this, it is quite simple in fact, only the torturers will be punished, and very lightly at that!.
- Mark, Brighton, 14/11/2008 15:49
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'the fish rots fron its head,'Does no-one accept responsibility anymore. It wasn't me gov' promise!
Truth is from the top downwards, no one will admit accountability for anyoutcome that happens (unless it is good!)
- Alfred Dickins, London, England, 14/11/2008 15:38
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The Conservative Party sickens me in the way in which it is trying to make political capital out of this tragedy. Anybody might be excused for thinking they consider themselves to have the monopoly in loathing towards the perpetrators. In pursuing the social workers and ministers,they are in danger of forgetting that the people who caused the death of this little boy were his mother, her boyfriend and a lodger. Making hysterical claims about 'ministers buck-passing could have cost child his life' is both nauseating and extreme. Who on earth is advising them on this ill-judged crusade. There are departments in government who have responsibility for going in unannounced and making on the spot inspections. I worked in Social Services for 13 years and so I am speaking from an informed position. The then Social Services Inspectorate would just arrive and scrutinise files, case notes, etc. to ensure proper procedures were being carried out. The three ministers did the right thing; they passed the letter to the appropriate Inspectorate, who would, or should have followed it up. Let us desist from this awful blame game. It wont help the little boy, or bring him back. Let us instead get on with making sure the neccessary steps are taken to make doubly sure it will not happen again. Anybody who watched Question Time last night would have heard Simon Heffer, a Conservative commentator, expressing concern about the actions of right wing politicians,and their ill-judged comments.
- Val Daniels, Mijas Costa. Spain, 14/11/2008 15:28
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'whistleblower, social worker Nevres Kemal, was gagged and then fired by Haringey council,.....Why? Why is it possible that an employee, or anybody for that matter, can be gagged for telling the truth, when, lives are at risk? Something is obviously very rotten, not only at the core of Welfare Services(?) in Haringey, but, it should be asked, how can our legal system permit & connive in what can only be perceived as a cover-up? Heads must roll at the highest level without recompense! How could it possibly be any other way? I find it astonishing that no one has resigned, which illustrates the levels and depths Politicians and civil servants, have plumbed. It is hard to establish who is the villan, Government(on a national & local level) or, the parents? What also makes this tragedy particularly galling is that we all know in our hearts that no lessons will be learnt, and, it is only a matter of time before we will be hearing of a similar atrocity. Surely with the increasing brutalization of sections of our society, it is time to stop looking at perpetrators as victims, and, making excuses for negligent government agencies, but,to ensuring justice for the real victims! We consider ourselves a civilised society, are we?
- Kevin Sullivan, Roehampton, London., 14/11/2008 15:14
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I feel we should name the people who were in charge of the baby, not everyone in a higher office lets get the creeps first. Then the rest.
- Jaberwokie3, switzerland, 14/11/2008 14:44
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How are any of these people still in their jobs? Social workers, doctors, managers...and of course for reasons we don't understand the names of the creatures who actually murdered this baby are witheld because of a legal order - maybe it would infringe their human rights. Shame on all the incompetent and pathetic people involved; they should resign immediately or be sacked. No words can convey what I feel should happen to the mother and her 'friends'.
- Anne, London, 14/11/2008 14:00
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The usual story then: lack of resources; overstretched, stressed staff; government targets and box-ticking taking priority over substance and common sense; and gagging of anybody who tries to speak out. Even the death of a child in the most appalling circumstances leads only to denials and buck-passing. Sometimes I just despair.
- Adam, London, UK, 14/11/2008 13:50
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Triffidqueen, Desk in London
What are you talking about go away and read what was printed correctley this is no fault of the Government
people like you jump before you read,go and ask her lawyer how much his whistleblower client is getting for all these stories,people like you do not live in the real world 3 people killed that child the problem is that newspapers and others are to quick to point the finger.
- John Delaney, torquay, 14/11/2008 13:46
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Ms. Shoesmith should be dismissed immediately. Unfortunately, in the Civil Service, no one is ever held responsible for anything.
She will probably leave with a hefty pay -off and a large pension and then, pop up in another local authority in a couple of months time, in a similar job.
- Charles, Stanmore. London, 14/11/2008 13:37
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This is what happens whenever and wherever the government introduces "targets". All professional judgement and discretion goes out of the window and is replaced by a standard form with a set of boxes to be ticked as fast as possible. When it's an administrative function, the results are variously comical or frustrating. When a child's life is at stake, the result is that dedicated social workers are bullied when they raise concerns that won't fit the form, are forced out of their jobs (or resign in disgust, or have nervous breakdowns), and are then bribed to keep quiet. After a few years, the only staff left are the incompetents and the functionaries, who merrily tick the boxes and shuffle the piles of paper which "prove" that "all targets were met or exceeded". And meanwhile, another child is tortured to death.
And now we discover that ministers knew and did nothing. Another nail in Labour's coffin, I hope.
- Nigel, London, 14/11/2008 13:30
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Bullying from middle managers? There's a surprise! Whistleblowers being sacked? Of course. The whole of the civil services are sick dysfunctional organisations where nasty little people who can't actually do anything hide in the ranks of middle management - the Post Office, the BBC, the NHS, the Police Force - they're all the same. If Margaret Thatcher was going to do away with state organisations she should have done the job properly. These people can never be held accountable because they close ranks and cover up for each other. I have been the victim of this insanity and I'm too cynical to believe it can ever be improved until all of these sectors are closed down an replaced by properly staffed, business managed, and accountable organisations. Baby P is resting at peace now. The public are seemingly more angry with the social workers than with the parents. That has a lot to say in my opinion.
- Real, London, 14/11/2008 13:20
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All seniors covering up must be sacked with no pay-offs.
Parliament must legislate to further support whistle-blowers eg,. for public enquiry AND ministers must never again be allowed to let matters rest elsewhere without rigorous departmental checks AND Parliament must legislate that court injuctions to cover up are made void in these circumstances.
- John Bannon, london uk, 14/11/2008 12:47
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A truly terrifying thing is how many people defend what happened by saying "the correct procedures were followed". This suggests that they still do not realise that part of the problem was the failure of various people and organisations to use their brain, but instead to rely on ticking off boxes on forms. If they continue to not recognise the problem, they are unlikely to fix it.
- Jan, London, 14/11/2008 12:42
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How is Gordon Brown going to get out of this mess, seeing as it is emerging that the goverment had been tipped off at the time and this childs death may have been prevented. Do MP's and goverment ministers not realise that the public vote them in and we vote them out. Taxpayers pay their wages and they are there to serve the public. I will not be voting Labour in the next general election.
- Triffidqueen, Desk in London, 14/11/2008 11:34
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