Baby P - It Must Never Happen Again

Book excerpt: The tragic and violent death of 17-month old Baby P at the hands of those who were supposed to love and care for him has sickened the nation. That such unimaginable cruelty could be unleashed on an innocent child - and fail to be picked up on by the authorities - has led to a public outcry and a media storm.This is a comprehensive look at the events leading up to the death of Baby P. A recent investigation has found that there was poor communication between authorities, a repeated failure to take into account the child's history and inaccurate documentation of events by Haringey Council. Child protection plans were heavily criticized in the inspection report for being disorganized with little analysis of the child and no clear decision-making. With the three perpetrators awaiting sentencing and politicians debating what can be done now and in the future, the public are left angry and bewildered as just how this was allowed to happen.