Toni-Ann social workers keep jobs

Two social workers criticised in the Toni-Ann Byfield case will not
lose their jobs, Birmingham Council said this week.

The seven-year-old girl was shot dead in a London hostel in
September 2003 along with convicted drug dealer Bertram Byfield,
who was understood to be her biological father. At the time, she
was in the care of Birmingham social services.

A serious case review criticised a social worker for failing to ask
the police or Brent social services about Byfield.

A spokesperson for Birmingham council said the social worker and
her team manager had been through formal personnel monitoring and
extensive supervision. “We are confident about this decision and
would not expose children to risk.”

The team manager remains in children’s services but the social
worker has been moved to adult services.