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Baby P chief faces quiz over her record on child protection
Tim Ross12 Mar 2009
The head of the council at the centre of the Baby P scandal faces questions today over a series of other child protection failures.
Haringey chief executive Ita O'Donovan has held senior positions at three councils that were condemned for failing children so seriously that the Government was forced to intervene.
Dr O'Donovan has worked in authorities embroiled in some of the country's most shocking child deaths. She has said she considered resigning over the Baby P tragedy but decided the council needed stability.
She was in charge of Stoke-on-Trent council when 15-year-old Gareth Myatt choked and died while being restrained by guards at a privately-run secure training centre in 2004.
Shortly after Dr O'Donovan left, ministers decided a taskforce should be sent in to take over Stoke's children's services.
Dr O'Donovan also held a senior post at Newham council when two-year-old Ainlee Labonte was killed by her parents after suffering months of abuse in 2002, although she was not responsible for social services at the time.
The details emerged as Lord Laming today published his report into child protection across England.
Children's Secretary Ed Balls launched the inquiry amid a national outcry at the failure of Haringey services to protect Baby P.
The 17-month old died after suffering months of abuse in August 2007. He was born on 1 March 2006, just five days before Dr O'Donovan took up her role as chief executive of Haringey council.
Last week Haringey was rated as the worst local authority in London and one of the four worst in England for children's services following severe criticism over the case.
During Dr O'Donovan's four years as chief executive of Stoke-on-Trent council, official reviews were launched into the deaths of two children where abuse or neglect was suspected.
Ten days after she left to begin work at Haringey, ministers criticised Stoke after a report found "critical weaknesses" in services could leave children at risk.
A few months later the Government took the decision to send in an outside company to take over Stoke's children's services.
Stoke council said child protection services were now rated as "adequate" and had improved since Dr O'Donovan's time in charge.
Critics raised concerns over whether Dr O'Donovan's record had been properly considered before she was appointed to the £180,000-a-year job running Haringey council.
Lynne Featherstone, Liberal Democrat MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, said residents could not feel confident that the borough's problems were being effectively addressed.
"I would like to be reassured that her track record was looked into and that questions were asked about her past performance," Ms Featherstone said.
"It concerns me greatly that in the reports (into the Baby P tragedy) Ita O'Donovan came in for criticism and yet I have heard no further mention of that criticism of her."
A spokesman for Haringey said the process for appointing the chief executive was "rigorous".
He said: "Recruitment to all senior posts is by a cross-party member panel. It is a rigorous process. The panel make a recommendation which is then agreed by a meeting of the full council."
Ministers sent inspectors into Haringey to examine child protection procedures in the wake of the Baby P case and fired children's services chief Sharon Shoesmith.
The inspectors condemned the "leadership and management" on child protection by the local authority as "inadequate".
"There is insufficient strategic leadership and management oversight of safeguarding of children and young people from Haringey by elected members, senior officers and others within the strategic partnership," the inspectors said.
While Dr O'Donovan held the post of assistant chief executive at Newham in 2002, inspectors condemned the council's social services department amid warnings that 500 vulnerable children had not been assigned social workers.
Haringey council said Dr O'Donovan "had no responsibility" for children's services during her time at Newham when she was in charge of human resources and "customer services".
Newham council said the borough had improved significantly since its social services department was placed in special measures in 2001.
Reader views (3)
Why oh why are almost all of the people involved in these fiascos women, are there no men in this line of work?
- John W, hamilton canada, 13/03/2009 02:23
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Isn't it amazing the way these local council bigwigs keep moving on to other jobs after a few years? It doesn't happen in any other walk of life, as far as I know. Sounds like walking off and leaving a mess behind each time. Then after a few years, the proverbial hits the fan again and off they go again into another lucrative position.
- Hs, Bristol, 12/03/2009 16:13
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In the wake of Victoria Climbie, the council employed Ita O'Donovan. Even though her previus tenure as head of a council had ended with severe criticism of child services...??? And this is a robust process is it? Lord only knows who they recruit when they aren't being so thorough.
They learn nothing, they do nothing - they just sit there and change the way it's measured and put people on training courses - appalling.
- Jon, london,England, 12/03/2009 14:40
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