Monday, December 01, 2008

And What About You, Ms Shoesmith?

Not before time, this morning has seen the resignations of the leader of Haringey Council George Meehan and the Cabinet Member for Children's Services, Liz Sawtry. But still no word on the future of the Director of Children's Services Sharon Shoesmith. If she had any sense of honour she too would be resigning today. No doubt she is holding out for a big fat payoff. That would be outraegous.

UPDATE: A couple of minutes after posting this it was announced that Ed Balls had sacked her. Good on him.

20 comments:

unknown father said...

Sorry Iain, but Ms Shoesmith should have resigned weeks ago. Glad someone is finally doing the honourable thing now though.

Anonymous said...

She has been sacked.

Ed Balls gave a competent statement but the content of it is utterly devastating.

It is utterly breathtaking that this level of incompetence and back-covering has gone on and one must wonder just what is happening in the rest of the country.

The other point about Shoesmith is she is not a social or welfare worker - she comes I believe from an education background and for purely political purposes this government has been pushing welfare and education portfolios together.

@molesworth_1 said...

Politics Home showing 'Shoesmith sacked' @14:15

strapworld said...

Iain,

The whole bloody council should have been sacked.This shows how undemocratic the cabinet system is. Ordinary Councillors have no idea what is going on. But it did not stop them asking questions!

All councillors should be sacked and IF Balls had any sense he should order a fresh election for that Council..or better still amalgamate it with another council.

It has proved by the muder of two children that it is NOT FIT to act as a council.

Benny said...

Balls did will in sacking her

Catosays said...

Let's just hope that the odious bitch gets no pay-off.

force12 said...

It would be good to know the exact terms of Shoesmith's removal.

Roger Thornhill said...

Sacked? What about her gold-plated pension and any associated salary. Has she been paid off?

If not, then Balls did not grow a pair after all.

King Athelstan said...

She'll get a fat payoff no doubt about it. If I'm made redundant I'll probably get about 8 grand for over 10 Years unblemisshed service.

Chris said...

Has she been sacked? She has been removed from her post, a different thing entirely.
Is a sideways move on the cards?

strapworld said...

SUSPENDED on FULL PAY. Not sacked!

There will be a disciplianry hearing time will go on and she will eventually go with her pension etc. intact!

The Councillors have not resigned from their role as a councillor NO they have just stepped down from their positions...just like the government the party comes first!

What about the Ministers who ignored the letters from the solicitor of the Social Worker!! What did Balls say about them? Has that been swept under the carpet?


There is absolutely no honour whatsoever in the Labour Party anymore.

No guts, no sacking! No justice for poor Baby P.

Disgrace all the way down the line.

This is England 2008! Browns Britain! Labour isnt working!!!

Lola said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lola said...

...I skip read your post and I thought you'd written '...But still no word on the future of the Director of Children's Services Sharon Shoesmith. If she had any sense of humour...'

I like my version.

The Grim Reaper said...

Meantime of course, the GMC is likely to strike off Sabah al-Zayyat, the incompentent doctor who is so good at her job that she failed to spot a baby with a broken back. The GMC is very good at dealing with their own, what a shame other bodies clearly aren't.

I never thought I'd actually say this, but Children's Secretary Ed Balls actually did well today. Now if he'd go ahead and publish this report, I might gain a little respect for him. Lynne Featherstone MP is one of few people who was allowed to read it on privy council terms, and she says it should be published. So what are you waiting for, Ed?

Man in a Shed said...

This shows a sign of a more serious and general public sector malaise.

The role of leadership and judgement has been replaced with quality management ideas - which keep people very busy filling forms and finding 'evidence'. This approach is used to pass down 'targets' and direct inspections of various public service functions.

I wonder if this isn't why Ms Shoesmith used graphs to show why her department performed well ( despite the body of a young child to prove otherwise ), their inspection report was three star and all those heads wrote in to support her.

Perosonal resposibility ( especially on public sector employers on such fantastic salries ) is good.

But I'm afraid this will change nothing.

Anonymous said...

The saddest part of this story is yet to be written.

Some time in the future, after she has been officially removed from her post with pension in tact, she will accept a similar Director of Department post with another local council.

Eddie 180 said...

It should not be forgotten that it was David Cameron, raising this matter at PMQ's that led to the independent review.

The Prime Minister seemed to be content with the Serious Case review in Haringey and the Laming report that was to be conducted nationally.
"The second issue is in Haringey itself. There has been a serious case review, and the executive report already says that there have been failings and weaknesses in the system. The full report has now arrived with the Children’s Secretary this morning. It is now for the Government to take action, and we will make a decision about what procedures and processes we will adopt in relation to Haringey. I believe that that is the right thing to do—both a national review, and local action."
Hansard 12 Nov 2008 : Column 761

David Cameron argued that it was wrong for Mrs Shoesmith to carry out a review on her own Authority.

"So let me ask again: is it not unacceptable that the person who runs the children’s services department is responsible for looking into what her own department did?"

The Prime Minister was unmoved...

"I think that we are both agreed that this is a tragic and serious loss of life that has got to be investigated properly so that all the lessons can be learned. I think that the right hon. Gentleman would agree that appointing Lord Laming to go around the country and look at what is happening in each area so that we are assured about what is happening is the right thing to do. I think that the right hon. Gentleman has to accept that the executive summary, which has already been published, from the inquiry done in Haringey shows that weaknesses exist. There is an admission of weaknesses that have to be addressed. We have received the full report this morning, and we will act on it quickly. We will do it in the right way so that we come to the judgments that are necessary to protect children in the future. I regret making a party political issue of this matter"

He went on...

"We have immediately taken action to set up an independent inquiry under Lord Laming, who has a great deal of expertise in this issue, and I believe all people will support it. Action will be taken in relation to Haringey, because we have just received the full report and the executive summary has already identified the weaknesses. We have acted immediately after the end of the court case, and we will continue to take action, because what really matters is the protection of young children in every part of the country."


The independent review that was launched only after David Cameron called for it at PMQ's has identified serious failings not only in the actions of Social Services, but also in the Serious Case Review that was led by Mrs Shoesmith.

Thank you Mr Cameron for forcing this independent review, and preventing the matter from being swept under the carpet by, in this case, a do nothing Prime Minister.

The PM did not appear to want an independent investigation in Haringey that would expose exactly what has been exposed today, rather, he was content with the Serious Case Review conducted by Haringey themselves, and a national report by Lord Laming

The Grim Reaper said...

Iain, you might wish to read this. Around 5 minutes after I posted my first comment here, the report on the Beeb's website was suddenly changed. It turns out she hasn't been sacked at all. At first, it read...

"Three people have lost their jobs after a 'damning and devastating' inspectors' report into the Baby P case, Children's Secretary Ed Balls has said. Sharon Shoesmith, the head of children's services at Haringey Council, in London, has been sacked. The council's leader George Meehan and the cabinet member for children and young people, Liz Santry have resigned. The 17-month-old died despite being on the child protection register. He had been visited by professionals 60 times."

It now reads...

"Three people have been suspended on full pay from Haringey Council after a 'damning' inspectors' report into the case of Baby P. This includes Sharon Shoesmith, the head of children's services at the north London council. Council leader George Meehan and the authority's cabinet member for children, Liz Santry, have resigned. The 17-month-old boy died despite being on the child protection register and being seen by professionals 60 times."

What the hell's going on here?

Victor, NW Kent said...

Mr Meehan and Mrs Santry have resigned have they?
Is it established that they have resigned from the Council or that they have simply quit their special posts within that council?
Never, ever believe anything that you are told by a Labour politician.

The Remittance Man said...

Not that Shoesmith doesn't deserve the boot (pardon the pun) but does Ed Balls actually have the authority to sack her?

If she was an employee of Haringey Council then surely that august institution is the only one with the authority to dismiss her.