Writing about the appalling case of the disabled girl tortured by her parents, novelist Lionel Shriver actually defends social workers. In yesterday's Independent, Shriver describes social work as "thankless, underpaid and perilous." Although you may not agree with everything she says, Shriver does at least bother to consider the complexities of child protection work. Another commentary on the case in the Sunday Times is less insightful, drawing spurious analogies with Victoria Climbie.