It is hard to persist in trying to see a child when you are being shouted at or physically threatened on the doorstep, says Sue White, professor of social work at Birmingham University, recalling her own days as a social worker.
She was "absolutely terrified" by some of the aggression she encountered, which included death threats.
Her recollections will be all too familiar to child protection staff, who routinely face the unenviable task of building a relationship with people who, from the outset, view them with at best suspicion and at worst outright hostility.
But success in breaking down barriers in the toughest, most complex cases is crucial if authorities are to avoid tragedies such as those in Haringey and Birmingham.
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