‘Government proposals that could see social workers face criminal sanctions for failing to protect children may give the profession an opportunity for a fair hearing, Sharon Shoesmith has said.
She said that trials could give professionals the fair hearing which social workers in Haringey did not have during the media storm following the death of Baby P’.
Read full piece by Luke Stevenson: Sharon Shoesmith: criminal offences could ensure social workers get fair hearing
The Guardian have also published a piece: Would criminalising social workers give us the chance of a fair hearing? Sharon Shoesmith
Other relevant links:
- Government consults on criminal offences for social workers who fail to act on abuse
- Government Consultation: Reporting and acting on child abuse and neglect
- Sharon Shoesmith on Baby P, blame and social work’s climate of fear
Sharon Shoesmith talks about the ‘cultural trope’ of blaming social workers, as identified in her book ‘Learning from Baby P’:
niromp.org 