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Why was Shannon taken off child risk register?
Jack Lefley5 Dec 2008
Social services came under fire today after it was revealed that Shannon Matthews was taken off the child protection register despite fears for her safety.
The role of social services in the girl's life was being scrutinised after her mother's conviction for kidnapping her.
Mother-of-seven Karen Matthews, 33, was condemned by police as "pure evil". Last night allegations emerged that her children had been placed on the protection register then taken off despite concerns about violence in the household.
Her MP Shahid Malik called for an independent review into the actions of local social services.
A BBC documentary team given access to the police investigation said social workers commissioned a psychological report about Matthews highlighting her "inability to place the children's needs above her own" in December 2003 - three years before Shannon went missing.
The Panorama programme said the report concluded: "I believe Karen will require constant monitoring and support throughout the lives of her children."
The documentary alleged that despite concerns about violence the children "were never considered at risk of significant harm".
Claire Wilson, a former neighbour of Matthews, told the programme about terrible conditions at the house next door. She said: "I rang social services because it just got to the stage where I was so concerned about the children.
"But we just kept reporting it and nothing seemed to get done."
Kirklees Social Services said it was limited in what it could say for legal reasons. Alison O'Sullivan, director for children and young people at Kirklees council, said "very important issues concerning the children, the actions and plans of this local authority past, present and proposed will be scrutinised carefully". Matthews was found guilty at Leeds Crown Court of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice along with Michael Donovan.
Matthews conspired with Donovan, 40, her partner's uncle, to keep her nine-year-old daughter imprisoned for 24 days to claim a £50,000 reward.
On 14 March Shannon was discovered in the base of a divan bed in Donovan's flat in Batley Carr, West Yorkshire, less than a mile away from her home. She was found to have traces of the "hypnotic" drug temazepam in her system.
Reader views (11)
What so many do not understand is Labour have deliberately created this underclass in the expectation that they will continue to vote them in. The UK is now no diferent than Hugo Chavez's Venezuela.
- Andrew, London, 07/12/2008 22:14
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Surely the woman should now be prosecuted for feeding those potent prescription drugs to her child?
- Gabrielle, London, 05/12/2008 17:51
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One thing is for sure. The guys who made her pregnant must have been barmy.
- Anglo, Sussex UK, 05/12/2008 17:34
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I hold no brief for the social work profession - as in all professions, there are areas of excellence and areas of downright incompetence and neglect. I believe part of the problem lies in the training wherein students are taught that it is wrong to be judgemental or critical of a client's lifestyle or living environment. But the bigger - and I believe insurmountable - problem is that the welfare state has bred so many people like Shannon's and Baby P's parents, who breed irresponsibly, sometimes just to get more money out of the system, that if all the at risk children of such parents were placed in care the system simply could not cope. A return to the old pre-welfare state days when families were cruelly broken up and put in the workhouse seems such a horrible idea to contemplate, but was it any worse than what these children are suffering now?
- Pam, East Kent, 05/12/2008 16:47
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Another day, another story about neglected children living with feckless mothers who use them as meal tickets. Benefits were supposed to be a safety net, not a government income for lazy people. Instead of targeting people on disability benefits, this is the sort of person who should be given directions to the nearest job centre.
- Patricia, LONDON, 05/12/2008 16:34
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If children's own mother can't protect her own children, how much can an organisation like social services do?. Mothers like this is created by the benefit systems, they have children to get a home and some money, not because they want to bring up a family and be responsible. This is where we went wrong.
- Sonia, Croydon, 05/12/2008 16:19
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Mo7 - what a production-rate !!. All different dads as well.
I feel a musical coming on....Seven Kids by Seven Fathers.
Bless your beautiful hide.
- Cf, London, 05/12/2008 15:53
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Doesn't Karen Matthews look like a right hottie, kicking back looking relaxed with a nice cuppa. You can see why all those fellas have been lining up to be with her. I bet she looks great in a skimpy thong.
- Jc, London, 05/12/2008 14:38
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This woman epitomises everything that is wrong in Britain today. Vile creature, may she rot.
- Shirley, London, 05/12/2008 13:17
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I find it difficult to comprehend how a group of proffessional couldn't see that Shannon was in danger, with their supposed training that should never have happen.Too many mistakes have been happening we had baby P's case the most recent. Was the Victoria Climbe case meant to stop this ever happening again. I know they (social workers) have a very difficult case but if in doubt then keep the child on the at risk register. The government and council alike spends thousands if not millions of tax payesr money on training and yet again it keeps happening. When will we learn.
- Kenny, London, 05/12/2008 12:58
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SOCIAL SERVICES STRIKE AGAIN ... unbelievable!
- Ben Farrell, London, 05/12/2008 12:49
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