BASW response to BBC film Baby P: The Untold Story
Aired on BBC1 this evening, Baby P: The Untold Story assessed the death of Peter Connelly in 2007 and the role played by all agencies (social work, health and police), politicians and the media involved in the case.
Interviewees included Ex-education secretary Ed Balls, social workers Gillie Christou and Maria Ward and Head of Child Protection Services in Haringey, Sharon Shoesmith.
Commenting on the programme, BASW England Manager Maris Stratulis said:
“Peter died in horrific circumstances and he must never be forgotten; this programme assessed the reasons why and how the death of Peter Connelly became politicised in the way that it did.
“The programme highlighted a catalogue of errors, deliberate misinformation, cover-ups and what appeared to be a deliberate campaign of blame orchestrated by politicians, the police and the media.
"It also raised several pertinent questions about the alleged collusion of other agencies such as Ofsted and Great Ormond Street Hospital to appropriate blame to social work and social work alone.
“The political game-playing prevalent in the aftermath of this tragic case has had a devastating impact both on the social work professionals who were treated so unjustly and on the entire social work profession.
“BASW commends the honesty and bravery of all of the professionals who were able to tell their story themselves or share it through others.”
Click on the link to watch Baby P: The Untold Story on BBC iplayer