Social workers sacked after starvation death

Social Workers Sacked After Starvation Death
11:40am UK, Friday March 19, 2010
Carole Erskine, Sky News Online
Six social workers at Birmingham City Council have been sacked following a serious case review into the death from starvation of seven-year-old Khyra Ishaq.


Khyra Ishaq died in May 2008 from starvation
The staff were dismissed over the past year for not doing their jobs properly at Birmingham City Council, which is taking part in the review into the youngster's death.
Khyra died in May 2008 from starvation, and her mother and stepfather were both jailed for her manslaughter last week.
Colin Tucker, director of children's social care at the council, said the sacked staff showed "no sign whatsoever" of meeting expected standards.

Khyra's mother Angela Gordon and stepfather Junaid Abuhamza have been jailed
Sky's midlands correspondent Lisa Dowd said the staff had been "unreliable" and the council hadn't ruled out further sackings.
"They are a beleaguered department. In 2009 a childcare report found they weren't fit for purpose and they are still trying to fill 120 posts," she said.
The dismissals are not thought to be directly linked to Khyra's death, but they follow a number of other child deaths over recent years.

Khyra was known to social services
Khyra died when her body succumbed to an infection after months of starvation at her home in Handsworth, Birmingham.
She was removed from school in December 2007 and social workers made several attempts to visit her home.
Khyra's mother, Angela Gordon, was jailed last week for 15 years over her death, while her former partner Junaid Abuhamza was jailed indefinitely with a minimum term of seven-and-a-half years.
During the trial, judge Mrs Justice King said "in all probability" Khyra would not have died had there been "an adequate initial assessment and proper adherence by the educational welfare services to its guidance".
Mr Tucker was brought in last year after Ofsted inspectors branded aspects of Birmingham City Council's children's department as "inadequate".
He said there are about 120 vacant posts which are filled with agency staff.
He added that he wanted to cut the number of agency staff being used to between 40 and 50.

[quote="Antoinette"]Social Workers Sacked After Starvation Death
11:40am UK, Friday March 19, 2010
Carole Erskine, Sky News Online
Six social workers at Birmingham City Council have been sacked following a serious case review into the death from starvation of seven-year-old Khyra Ishaq.


Khyra Ishaq died in May 2008 from starvation
The staff were dismissed over the past year for not doing their jobs properly at Birmingham City Council, which is taking part in the review into the youngster's death.
Khyra died in May 2008 from starvation, and her mother and stepfather were both jailed for her manslaughter last week.
Colin Tucker, director of children's social care at the council, said the sacked staff showed "no sign whatsoever" of meeting expected standards.

Khyra's mother Angela Gordon and stepfather Junaid Abuhamza have been jailed
Sky's midlands correspondent Lisa Dowd said the staff had been "unreliable" and the council hadn't ruled out further sackings.
"They are a beleaguered department. In 2009 a childcare report found they weren't fit for purpose and they are still trying to fill 120 posts," she said.
The dismissals are not thought to be directly linked to Khyra's death, but they follow a number of other child deaths over recent years.

Khyra was known to social services
Khyra died when her body succumbed to an infection after months of starvation at her home in Handsworth, Birmingham.
She was removed from school in December 2007 and social workers made several attempts to visit her home.
Khyra's mother, Angela Gordon, was jailed last week for 15 years over her death, while her former partner Junaid Abuhamza was jailed indefinitely with a minimum term of seven-and-a-half years.
During the trial, judge Mrs Justice King said "in all probability" Khyra would not have died had there been "an adequate initial assessment and proper adherence by the educational welfare services to its guidance".
Mr Tucker was brought in last year after Ofsted inspectors branded aspects of Birmingham City Council's children's department as "inadequate".
He said there are about 120 vacant posts which are filled with agency staff.
He added that he wanted to cut the number of agency staff being used to between 40 and 50.[/quote]

Here lies an anomoly.....

120 posts filled with agency staff.
Reduce agency staff to between 40 and 50.

Why not reduce agency staff to ZERO by employing and using Birmingham City Council workers?

The answer lies as ever in finance...
It is cheaper to use agency workers.
It also opens up the possibility for palm greasing, although I am in no way suggesting that any mispropriety has been involved in this particular case..

Sadly the downside of all this fiscal prudence is however.....

Khyra Ishaq RIP.