| Flowers in Gods Garden
- Articles |
12/06/02 - Late arrival of
Climbie document forces chairman to reconvene
Terri Judd
Independent
THE PUBLIC inquiry into the death of eight-year-old Victoria
Climbie will have to be reopened next month because an
important document was not supplied on time by a government
department.
Yesterday the inquiry office said the findings of the
inquiry led by Lord Laming, initially promised for early
summer, were unlikely to be ready before the end of
the year. Lord Laming said he had been forced to reopen
his investigation five months afterthe hearing ended,
in what is believed to be an unprecedented move.
Victoria suffered a "miserable and lonely"
death, having been "imprisoned, beaten and starved"
for months on end by her father's aunt and her partner
despite repeated involvement by social services, police
and doctors.
The inquiry has promised to provide a turning point
for child protection in this country. Yet it has been
plagued by delays, most notably because of the late
production of documents by Haringey social services,
the local authority in north Londonresponsible for Victoria.
The latest setback has been brought about by the belated
receipt of a report from the Social Services Inspectorate
- part of the Department of Health, which with the Home
Office ordered the inquiry. The key document was not
sent until 26 February thisyear - after the public hearing
closed. It casts doubt on an earlier review that gave
Haringey council a clean bill of health.
The first report by the Joint Review, which was heavily
relied upon by the council's witnesses, said that people
in the borough were " generally well served"
by social services. The late document from the Social
Services Inspectorate and the AuditCommission found
that the Joint Review had presented an "overly
positive picture of Haringey' s social services, particularly
children's services".
Throughout the original hearing Lord Laming, the inquiry
chairman, took a dim view of the late supply of documents.
When Haringey council failed to provide files on time,
he described the delays as "deeply disturbing"
and "totally unacceptable".
The inquiry will reconvene on 9 and 10 July when Denise
Platt, head of the Social Services Inspectorate, will
be called to explain the late delivery. Yesterday the
Department of Health said the document had not been
withheld but sent in February, in timefor the second
phase of the inquiry, which was considering changes
necessary for the future.
Marie Therese Kouao, 45, and her partner, Carl Manning,
28, of Tottenham, were jailed for life for murder in January.
|
| Contact : bernard.omahoney@bernardomahoney.com |
|
|
| Flowers in Gods Garden |
|
| Paul Pearson |
|
| Rosie Palmer |
|
| Sophie Hook |
|
| Sarah Payne |
|
| Victoria Climbie |
|
| Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman |
- Documents
- Audio
|
| The Yorkshire Ripper |
- Video
|
|
