Baby Peter sacking: Sharon Shoesmith wins appeal

[dipsydoodle]

An ex-children's services director says she is "thrilled" to have won an appeal against a ruling that her sacking after Baby Peter's death was lawful.

Court of Appeal judges allowed Sharon Shoesmith's challenge against a High Court ruling that cleared former children's secretary Ed Balls and Haringey Council of acting unlawfully.

Her appeal against watchdog Ofsted was dismissed.

Baby Peter Connelly was found dead in August 2007 with more than 50 injuries.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13570959

To recap : Bunglers who let tot down.

THE social services bunglers who failed Baby P were sacked after The Sun delivered a 1.5million signature petition to Downing Street.

Shamed Sharon Shoesmith was axed as director of Haringey children's services.

Social workers Cecilia Hitchen, Maria Ward and Gillie Christou - and Clive Preece, head of children in need and safeguarding at Haringey - were also fired.

Preece, Ward and Christou were sacked for "gross misconduct", while Hitchen was axed for "loss of trust and confidence" in her ability.

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2579271/What-happened-to-bunglers-who-let-Baby-P-down.html#ixzz1NXu1YXyp

[oldironside]

1. While I believe in natural justice...

... am against scapegoating and hate media inspired witch hunts, it also seems clear that someone in Haringey Social Services fucked up big time and the buck has to stop somewhere. Standing in front of the High Court beaming about being vindicated when one was in charge of such a monumental catalogue of blunders really makes me squirm.

[Hopeless Romantic]

2. Agreed, it also raises the question, who is to be held responsible for the death of baby P

If the person who was in charge of the department that, it is generally accepted, was institutionally negligent then who is to be held accountable?

Someone must be to blame, but it seems to no one takes the blame.

[dipsydoodle]

3. Link updated to include -

The education department and Haringey plan to appeal to the Supreme Court.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13570959

[oldironside]

4. Now she's popped up in the Grauniad...

... complaining that it's just soooo unfair. Oh, and it was never about money.

To recap, she was in charge of a department which allowed a sadistic moron to beat a child to death over a period of months. They had any number of chances to save that kids life and they didn't.

So, where should the buck stop?

[LeftishBrit]

5. Much as I hate to agree with the Sun on anything...

I have absolutely no sympathy with Shoesmith. The kindest interpretation is that she's thick as two short planks, in which case she should never have had such a position of responsibility, when children's lives were at stake.

[oldironside]

6. Ditto the Daily Mail

A surreal experience to be sitting here nodding my head at the comments pages.
"If it's not about the money, then you can donate it all to a children's charity." seems to be the most popular view.