Social workers left baby vulnerable to dad's "booze-fueled attacks"; baby now has "permanent impairment" (Tyneside, England)

Sickening incomptenence. Of course, it's an UNNAMED DAD. Notice that the mother was battered too. I'm sure nobody ever provided her with useful help either.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/evening-chronicle-news/2011/09/29/shocking-failures-left-tyneside-baby-to-be-abused-72703-29506032/

Shocking failures left Tyneside baby to be abused
by Dan Warburton, Evening Chronicle Sep 29 2011

MISSED chances to protect a baby plunged the child into a nightmare world of abuse at the hands of his father, a damning report reveals today.

Poor communication, a lack of inter-agency work and a failure to act left the infant - known only as Child H - suffering serious injuries.

An investigation was launched after the youngster was taken to hospital in December 2009 suffering a “permanent impairment”.

Social workers had carried out five assessments of the risks facing the child, but they were still left at the mercy of their father’s booze-fuelled attacks.

Child H’s older sibling had also suffered abuse and the youngster’s mum was subject to vicious assaults that left her needing hospital treatment.

One week before being the victim of such a ferocious attack that left them fighting for life, medics failed to act on bruising on Child H, the report by North Tyneside Local Safeguarding Children Board reveals.

The Chronicle requested the chance to put questions to the head of childrens’ services at North Tyneside Council, but a spokeswoman said they were unable “to provide an interviewee”.

A statement released on behalf of Northumbria Healthcare, North Tyneside PCT, Northumberland Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust and the council’s childrens’ services insisted lessons had been learnt.

After suffering head injuries, the youngster’s dad was forced to leave his job and his mental health deteriorated. He was prescribed anti-depressants and turned to alcohol and substance abuse.

The review has shown a lack of communication between organisations left the youngster vulnerable.

Council staff and health workers failed to act on information from police who contacted them after they became concerned about the children while they investigated domestic abuse.

The report said: “Children services undertook five initial assessments, only one of these proceeded to enquiries regarding whether [Child H’s] sibling was at risk of significant harm. The lack of inter-agency sharing of information acted as a barrier to the assessment of risk.”

Police told council workers on four different occasions that Child H’s mother had been the victim of domestic abuse. But when the information was passed to members of the Primary Health Care team, communication was described as “poor”.

The Serious Case Review cites the harrowing case of eight-year-old Victoria Climbie who died in London from abuse and neglect while living with her aunt Marie-Therese Kouao and her boyfriend Carl Manning.