Council Childrens Officer sacked

A SENIOR officer of Haringey Children Services – until two years ago – has been sacked from another Borough:

BBC: Reading Borough Council sacks two children's services bosses

Get Reading: Reading Borough Council sack children's director Sylvia Chew

Community Care: Reading dismisses children’s services chief after only four months

After leaving Haringey, the officer was appointed Head of Childrens Services at Kingston Borough Council.

Is there not a Serious Case Review pending in that Borough, that relates to the tragic deaths of three children and to the quality of service provided?

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A little over two years ago, I attended a High Court Hearing known as the AB & CD case. It was highly unusual in that the case was brought against Haringey Childrens Services and was held in public. At the end of which, two LBH Childrens Services Officers were named and criticised in the Judge's published decision.

The High Court Judge chose to do this, it must be said, despite the most earnest representations of Haringey Council's barrister.

The Telegraph's detailed, one-page account of the case was titled, Haringey council tried to crush our family.

The Childrens & Young Persons Scrutiny Committee held a meeting in the wake of that Court judgement. In the recorded video (relevant from 02:50), former Mayor David Browne can be seen (from 10:00) asking excellent, searching questions. Later, Cllr. Browne was deselected by the local Labour Party.

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Reading has – unambiguously – put the welfare of children first.

I am pleased to see that that Council took prompt action in public. The practice of providing glowing references for departing Children Services officers – regardless of conduct – is not illegal.

However, in my opinion, it ought to be.

It's just too important.

CDC
Haringey Councillor
Liberal Democrat Party