Climbié manager ruling explained

Extenuating circumstances did not excuse the actions of a social
worker at the centre of the Victoria Climbi

é case, but did “provide a compelling
explanation” for them, a tribunal has ruled.

Angella Mairs, a former team manager at Haringey social services
department, won her appeal against being banned from working with
children by inclusion on the Protection of Children Act List
earlier this month.

She was sacked by Haringey Council for professional misconduct and
placed on the list over her involvement in the case, which included
failing to read Victoria’s case file during a meeting with
allocated worker Lisa Arthurworrey.

In its full-judgement published this week, the Care Standards
Tribunal panel, which heard that Arthurworrey had taken 16 files to
the 90-minute meeting, says Mairs had taken on an impossible
task.

She had no opportunity to read all the case files before the
meeting and therefore the supervision session was “doomed to
failure” because of circumstances outside her control, the
judgement adds.

Mairs was found guilty of misconduct. But her role was limited, and
she was far from being the only person responsible for failures, it
says.

However, her behaviour fell below the standard of conduct expected
of a team manager. She failed to look at the file during the
meeting with Arthurworrey and did not press her for further
information about the case when she was given cause to believe that
there was still work to be done.