James Forsyth James Forsyth

Balls should publish the Baby P Serious Case Review

The Lord Laming review of the progress that has been made in child protection since his report following the death of Victoria Climbie is all well and good. But, surely publishing the Serious Case Review into Baby P—which Ed Balls refuses to do—would do more good? It shows precisely how the bureaucracy made such a dreadful string of mistakes and with that knowledge in the public domain it would be possible to have an informed debate about what reforms could present such dreadful errors happening again.

Michael Gove, who has read the SCR, has repeatedly said that the tale of incompetence it reveals is far worse than what the public has been told. Surely, the public, which after all pay for social services through their taxes, has a right to know how and why social services failed this child?

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