27 MAY 2011
Ex Haringey children's director Sharon Shoesmith wins her appeal against her December 2008 sacking and is likely to receive £1m compensation
Judge says Shoesmith was scapegoated
23 APRIL 2010
Sharon Shoesmith has lost her application for a judicial review of her sacking as director of children’s services in Haringey after the Baby P case.
However, speaking at the High Court, Justice Foskett said he had reached his conclusions with a “lurking sense of unease”.
Sharon Shoesmith has said she is "disappointed" by the failure of the High Court to uphold her claim for unfair dismissal.
Children’s Secretary Ed Balls, who was heavily criticised, told BBC News: “It’s clear from the judgement that my interventions were the right ones and I acted in a proper and fair way.”
“Based on the information I had then and have now I would make the same decision again.”
The judge in the Sharon Shoesmith case is to take up his concern's about Ofsted's failure to be candid about material in the case with the Treasury Solicitor. He also criticised Ofsted's role in chandging the report.
Other sector leaders have said the ruling will perpetuate the demonisation of social workers.
The Sharon Shoesmith case has wider implications for all directors of children's services according to the judge who dismissed her claims.
For instance, the powers of the children's secretary to effectively dismiss directors of children's services (DCS) has been questioned by the judge in the Shoesmith case.
Following the ruling against Sharon Shoesmith, the former Haringey children’s services director, sacked after the Baby Peter case, can re-start employment tribunal proceedings.
Meanwhile, the two social workers under investigation for their involvement in the Baby P case are being charged with misconduct.
Sharon Shoesmith has been an ongoing target for the tabloid press since the Baby P case, but early coverage of the High Court decision to reject her challenge against her dismissal from Haringey Council was relatively sober.