I've name changed as I don't want to get flamed for expressing my sincerely held views.
I object to the Congo thread title, which seems to imply that there is little we can "actually do" in relation to the Baby P tragedy. I'm sure this is not how MNHQ feels, given that the Ofsted report also appears on the homepage, but I am concerned about the mixed messages.
Compared to other websites, the Baby P thread here has been reasoned and restrained and there have been no pictures, thank goodness. However there has also been a lot of very practical suggestions as to things we can do, ranging from donating to the NSPCC, voluntary activities such as Homestart, e-mailing MPs etc.
The summary of the report into this matter has only been released to 5 MPs, supposedly on the advice of the Information Commissioner, which he has refuted. We elect MPs partly to scrutinize the government, but how can they do this if they do not have full information? Child abuse thrives in silence, and it is our duty to bring it out into the open.
The case of Baby P was not a "one-off" incident in which a carer lost control, which could not have been predicted or prevented. This household could not have been more involved with the authorities, with (I understand) at least one older child known to have been abused, an under age child living there, obvious squalor and neglect and possible evidence of animal abuse.
IMO, a lot could be learned from this case, ranging from social work training and practice, the role of police involvement, better medical intervention in suspected cases, the training and experience of council in-house children legal teams, together with fundamental budget issues such as the fact that care proceeding application fees rose from £150 to almost £5,000 in May this year. I have a friend who works as a council children's lawyer, and she is vastly overworked with a high turnover of staff including locums and constant budget issues.
I also think we need to change the sentences of people found guilty of such crimes. If it is true that they will serve less than 14 years and will come out of child bearing age with new identities, then how do we know if any future children will be protected?
I know that millions of children in Africa, and indeed the wider world, also desperately need help, but it is wrong to suggest that there is little we can do to help vulnerable children in this country.
Sorry for the rant, I've gone into more detail than I intended. I think I will now depart MN for a few days.
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newsthreads · 23/11/2008 06:18
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