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Anger as sacked Baby P chief launches fight for six-figure payout
Robert Mendick, Chief Reporter06.01.09
THE shamed head of Haringey's children's services is attempting to win a six-figure payout for being sacked over her handling of the Baby P case.
Sharon Shoesmith, who was dismissed for "devastating" failures, is appealing against the decision. She could receive as much as £173,000 if she wins her case against Haringey Council.
Mrs Shoesmith, 55, was sacked without compensation after an official report condemned her department's handling of the Baby P case. Children's Secretary Ed Balls ordered her removal and Haringey finally dismissed her last month.
But it emerged today that Mrs Shoesmith, a mother-of-two who lives in central London, has decided to take legal action against her dismissal. A spokesman for Haringey Council confirmed Mrs Shoesmith was appealing.
If successful, she could be in line to receive a year's pay in lieu of notice - worth around £110,000 - as well as £63,000 for unfair dismissal.
Mrs Shoesmith sparked public anger after refusing to resign or even apologise following the Old Bailey trial which saw three people - Baby P's mother, her boyfriend and their lodger - convicted over his death.
The 17-month-old boy died in August 2007 despite being on Haringey's child protection register. Social workers, police and doctors had seen the child 60 times in eight months but failed to spot he was being tortured.
Mrs Shoesmith's decision to appeal her sacking will anger her opponents.
Lynne Featherstone, the local MP and a leading critic of Haringey's handling of the case, said today: "Sharon Shoesmith should not receive a penny. I hope she doesn't succeed with this appeal.
"This has been a defining moment when serious failure was not rewarded and if that were to be reversed it would be a green light for people to fail with impunity." It is understood Mrs Shoesmith will meet an appeal panel this week to discuss her case. It is not known if she has legal representation or the cost of the case to the taxpayer.
On 9 December, when Haringey council finally bowed to pressure and sacked Mrs Shoesmith, it said in a statement, there had been "a fundamental loss of trust and confidence in Ms Shoesmith".
It insisted she would not receive a payout. That had followed the publication of a damning review of the Baby P case a week earlier which found "serious concerns" and "significant weaknesses" in safeguarding children in Haringey.
Mr Balls, describing the department run by Mrs Shoesmith as "not fit for purpose", had called for her dismissal at a press conference.
Reports suggest she believes she has been scapegoated for systemic failings. Friends have described her hounding out as a "charade". Mrs Shoesmith insisted after the trial that her department had "worked effectively".
Unrepentant to the last
11 November 2008
Sharon Shoesmith attracts widespread condemnation when she tells a press conference arranged after the Old Bailey trial of Baby P's killers: "This was a family that needed, and was given, extensive help and support. The very sad fact is that we can't stop people who are determined to kill children.'' She refuses to apologise or quit.
12 November
Children's Secretary Ed Balls bows to public pressure and orders an independent team be sent in to Haringey to investigate Mrs Shoesmith's department's handling of the Baby P case. Tory leader David Cameron calls for sackings at the council.
20 November
Protesters gather outside Haringey council demanding Mrs Shoesmith and other social workers be sacked.
26 November
The Sun delivers a 1.2million-signature petition to Downing Street demanding the sacking of Mrs Shoesmith and other "bunglers".
1 December
Mr Balls uses powers to order Mrs Shoesmith's removal from her £110,000-a-year post, installing a new head of children's services in her place. But Mrs Shoesmith is suspended on full pay, prompting a further outcry.
9 December
Haringey issues a statement saying Mrs Shoesmith has been dismissed "with immediate effect". The council says it will not pay her compensation.
Today
Haringey confirms Mrs Shoesmith is appealing against the decision to sack her.
Reader views (17)
Not only is her incompetence totally unacceptable - her arrogance is nauseating.
- R.F.York, Yorks, UK
How thick-skinned must this woman be? Most people as incompetent as she would seek to lie low for a few months until anonymity returned. The Baby P story dropped off the front pages before Christmas, so if she is not thick-skinned she must crave publicity; perhaps reality tv beckons.
- Rachel, UK
I would sack the people that took her on in the first place.
They are capable of doing it again!
- George Dorman, Bexleyheath
They can't identIfy Baby P or his mother becasue this would identify his siblings. If the attacks on Shoesmith contiunue then all Directors of Children's Services who aren't social workers really ought to start negotiating their exits now.
- Craig, London
My wife has worked as a school nurse and eventually had to leave her job due to stress after her departmental team was cut from 5 to 1, with over 20 schools in the borough to cover, responsibilities including early warnings of child abuse. Yet managers like Mrs Shoesmith are seemingly abundant and highly rewarded despite reducing the service to crisis levels. Of course she will seek to avoid her responsibility in this horrific case, but to be compensated is especially deplorable. In her previous post, my wife received neither compensation nor sick pay, despite committing herself 100% to the interests of the children in her PCT. Until this management culture without consequence is done away with, children remain at risk.
- Rob, West London, Twickenham, England
What a shame she didn't fight that hard to save Baby P!
- Lorraine, London
Why can't they name the Killers of Baby P ???????????????
- Sally Smith, london,united kingdom
No doubt this woman has been put up to this by some sleazeball ambulance chasing parasite in the hope that the local authority will cave in. If the authority has acted properly, they should hire the finest legal help to fight this appeal and set an example to all the other social services leaders and Tribunals that incompetence will, from now on, never be rewarded.
- Michael Murphy, brightlingsea england
Some people have so much front it is unbelieveable. The problem is the system could well end up with this harpie getting a nice fat taxpayer check.
- Nick, Cheltenham, ex of Hornsey
What's the betting that Haringey Council, backed by Mr Ball's (or should I call him "no balls") will "settle" this case to avoid it becoming a political football. Perhaps she knows where some of the skeleton's lie in relation to Labour policy on Childcare and the governments total inaction in implementing the recommendations of the Climbie report. Sweep it under the carpet as always.
- Malcolm, London
How does she sleep at night?
- Wen, Oxfordshire
Dear God - This woman has no shame and this is an example of what is wrong with our Public Sector and empolyment legislation. When an employer can not sack someone of her reported incompetance, without fear of being sued there is something fundamently wrong.
- Jeremy E, London
she has every right to appeal there was enough blame to go aroud haringey council why should she be the one to carry the can
- Mat, london
No shame whatsoever has she?
- P I Staker, London
Of course she'll win, we live in a litigation culture brought about by woolly liberal thinking where everyone must abide by pc legislature such that hurt feelings are more important than the safety of a child.
- Bob, Cheam
Don't you despair. Who's going to pick up the bill for an arrogant incompetent woman.
- Alec, West London
I think she should be lucky legal proceedings have been started against her incompetence and negligence, i would have thought she'd want to tread very carefully here.
- Justice, London
