Baby P chief's bureau shocked experts
INSPECTORS were “shocked” by their findings after launching an investigation in the wake of the Baby P tragedy, the High Court heard yesterday.
A judge was told the Ofsted experts began their probe into the children’s services department at Haringey Council in north London with “an open mind”. Lead inspector Heather Brown said in a statement: “When I began the inspection, I was expecting and hoping to find that the case of Baby P was essentially an aberration. What we found was shocking, even for the highly experienced team that worked on the inspection.”
The Ofsted team described Haringey’s children’s department as the “worst ever seen”.
The revelation came on the third day of a judicial challenge by Sharon Shoesmith over her sacking as head of the department. Shoesmith, 56, was sacked without compensation from her £133,000-a-year job after Children’s Secretary Ed Balls ordered that she be replaced.
Yesterday Mr Balls said Shoesmith was “ultimately responsible” for the “shambolic, disturbing state of affairs” in the department.
Shoesmith claims she was unlawfully dismissed. If she wins it could pave the way for a £1million compensation claim. The hearing continues.