Ed Balls: Immediate publication for Haringey safeguarding probe

By Corin Williams on November 20, 2008 in Child safeguarding

A joint area review on safeguarding in Haringey, ordered in the wake of the Baby P trial, is likely to be published early next month, children’s secretary Ed Balls confirmed today.

Balls is due to receive the review by Ofsted, the Healthcare Commission and the chief inspector of constabulary by 1 December, and he said today it would be published soon afterwards.

In a statement made to the House of Commons, he said: “As soon as I have studied their findings, I will publish their report and the actions we will take.”

Laming review

Balls also said that Lord Laming had started his review into progress on safeguarding nationally since his landmark 2003 report into the death of Victoria Climbié. This was also commissioned by the government in the wake of the Baby P case.

Balls pointed out that Laming’s inquiry was incorporating government-ordered probes into local safeguarding children boards and serious case reviews, announced last month before the Baby P trial verdict.

Balls said Laming had written today to a number of “experts and interested parties” requesting evidence.