Following the murder of 3 year old Liam Johnson, the ‘Liam Johnson Review Report of the Panel of Inquiry’ (24.11.89) by Elizabeth Lawson QC, raised serious concerns about the structure of social services and pressures on administrative systems.
‘There is a genuine widespread commitment to the delivery of services through the neighbourhood system. The effective delivery of these services, however depends upon them being properly resourced and upon there being adequate and efficient administrative staff. ‘
‘The deficiencies inherent in the system have to some extent been masked by the stable and experienced social work force. The staff are beginning to leave.. once these small social work teams consist of unexperienced staff working under the stresses we have identified the risk of a preventable tragedy is high. We think the present neighbourhood office structure is a time bomb waiting to go off.’
‘ We are concerned about the lack of any real appreciation of the problems or of the fact they are getting worse not better.’
Two former inquiries into child deaths
‘Islington child death report’ Community Care. 10.10.85
Father jailed for murder of his daughter in 1983. ‘A council spokesman said Mr Rea Price’s report would concentrate on lessons to be learnt form the case‘.
‘Child abuse reports far too late committee tells Islington Director’ Community Care 07.11.85
‘Islington’s Director of Social Services, John Rea Price, has been rapped over the knuckles by the social services committee for his handling of child abuse cases. After hearing reports on recent cases, in which two babies died, the special meeting of the committee formally recorded that it was aggrieved at the lateness of the reports of the director on these two cases. Mr Rea Price undertook that the delays which occurred in the most recent cases would not be repeated….He told the committee that he had reminded all the neighbourhood officers and team leaders about the existence of Islington’s manual on procedures. But he added that the guidance in the manual should be re-evaluated and amended as necessary …The next urgent priority was the launching of a departmental training programme on child abuse‘.
Press Coverage – Liam Johnson Review
‘Baby Liam shaken to death‘ Islington Gazette, 08.06.89
‘Final planning of inquiry into boy killed by father‘ Community Care, 15.06.89
‘Mellor demands boy’s death inquiry’ The Guardian, June 89
’15 years for Dad who snapped Liam’s spine‘ Daily Star, 14.06.89
‘Brutal dad broke tot’s back in 16 places’ The Sun, 14.06.89
‘Secret probe on what went wrong‘ Islington Gazette, June 89
‘Father who shook his son to death jailed for 10 years’ The Independent, 14.06.89
‘Islington’s choice for inquiry chairman ruled out by DOH‘ Community Care, 22.11.89
‘Liam. It could so easily happen again‘ Islington Chronicle, 29.11.89
‘No blame on social workers. Inquiry Panel criticises Mellor‘ Social Work Today, 30.11.89
‘Inquiry clears social workers’ Islington Gazette, 30.11.89
Islington Survivors Network 