The Big Question

Kierra Box
Young people’s activist
Lisa Arthurworrey was a scapegoat, but she also admits
that she failed to speak to Victoria Climbie alone. She, and social
services, must change their attitudes towards young people. They
must have a confidential and comfortable environment in which to
discuss their experiences, and must be central to their own
care.

Angie Lawrence
Single mother
We always feel that someone has to take the blame in such
a situation, and often it is put on those on the front line rather
than those at the top. In this case, many could be blamed – social
workers, police, hospital, NSPCC, poor funding and staffing. Lisa
Arthurworrey was merely a scapegoat, and to punish just her would
be grossly unfair.

Shaun Webster
Change self-advocacy group
She’s a social worker and she’s meant to be an expert on working
with children, but she didn’t do her job properly. It is wrong to
put her on a list with paedophiles, but there should be another
list for people in her position. She should not work with children
under any circumstances – even looking after children on a school
trip.

Len Smith
Gypsy activist
The main lesson to be learned is that the knee-jerk
apportioning of blame at the time of a tragedy is probably poor
judgement. It so often emerges that these tragedies are the result
of a complex chain of small but significant failures right through
the system and, unless it is patently obvious otherwise, one person
should not have to carry the can for all.