In September 2009, Charlotte Avenall, an eight-year-old girl with severe learning difficulties, was found dead in her bedroom in Mansfield. She had accidentally hanged herself.
Her room was in squalid condition, with faeces smeared over the walls. She was locked in for 12 hours each night and forced to use a chest of drawers as a toilet.
In April this year, her mother and step-father were both jailed for 12 months for wilful neglect.
A serious case review undertaken by the Nottinghamshire Safeguarding Children Board established that a number of agencies had been involved with Charlotte and her parents since her birth. But despite the intention to provide a good service, there were lessons to be learnt in the way different agencies co-ordinated their approach and identified safeguarding issues.
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
