Her outward defiance in front of the cameras as the media storm first broke over the tragedy was ill-judged. And yet, as the Court of Appeal ruled last week, she was "scapegoated" utterly by the then Children's Secretary Ed Balls and Haringey Council. Both parties have opted to appeal. They have a right to a fair hearing — something that was denied to Shoesmith.
In her exclusive, in-depth interview with CYP Now six months ago, Shoesmith said that underpinning her case was the issue of public accountability. Indeed, the Court of Appeal has now pointed out that "accountability" is not synonymous with "heads must roll". Let's be clear — malpractice must always be dealt with and, if necessary, people dismissed. The fact that Peter Connelly's abuse was missed by a range of safeguarding practitioners on 60 separate occasions remains inexcusable.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
