Agencies 'could have prevented torture attack on young boys in Edlington'

The report from the Children's Safety Board, ordered after the attacks in Edlington, near Doncaster, last April, is set to identify multiple failings by the nine different agencies involved in the case and to claim a lack of effective work between them contributed to the incident in which an 11-year-old and nine-year-old were attacked by two young brothers.

The report, due to be published on Friday, is expected to highlight how a total of 31 chances to intervene in the brothers' family were lost over a 14 year period, dating back even to before they were born.

The brothers, aged 10 and 11 at the time of the attack, used a variety of weapons to beat and burn their victims. Some details of the attack are so serious they will never be made public.

It has already emerged both brothers were known to police and were due to be interviewed by officers about an earlier assault on the day of the Edlington attack.

This week's report is the latest serious case review centred on Doncaster, where seven children have died since 2004 despite being on the at-risk register.

The board, which represents all of the agencies involved in the case, is understood to list a total of 12 lessons that should have been learned from previous cases but were not. And while it praises the exceptional commitment of some professionals it is also understood to cite a lack of leadership and effective multi-agency working as contributing to the incident.

Last night Roger Thomson, chairman of Doncaster Safeguarding Children Board, said: "It went very wrong here. The services were not being properly provided, there was poor leadership.

"Multi-agency working was not as effective as it should be. So it was really a dysfunctional service in Doncaster." He said there were doubts as to whether some children had been safe in Doncaster but added: "I'm confident that things are improving and have improved and that children are now safer."

The brothers had been moved to Edlington just three weeks before the attack to live with foster parents. The report is understood to say there was no proper supervision of the placement and no clear plan for the management of the boys. Their father was "violent" and their mother simply unable to cope with her seven sons.

The report is also understood to state that professionals involved with the family focused their attentions on the mother rather than the needs of her children.

A series of events over a two- year period in which the boys' behaviour worsened are listed. These include one being excluded from school in 2006 when aged eight, after threatening staff with a baseball bat. The incident prompted a meeting of several agencies but no action was taken.

In November 2007 there were complaints of arson and the killing of ducks at a park but no follow-up action was taken despite legal requirements.

Instead the brothers were treated simply as naughty boys, despite what is described as a "pattern of violent behaviour against other children".

A lack of leadership and accountability on the case at Doncaster Council's children's services department will also be highlighted. The service needed to be taken over by a Government team last year after a damning assessment by inspectors.

Nick Jarman, director of children's services at the authority, said: "Our primary concern is with the victims and their families at this time. We will be addressing findings of the serious case review once this is officially published by the Doncaster Safeguarding Children Board when sentencing for this case has concluded."

A spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families said it would not comment on the report before publication, but added: "No child should be failed by the services that are supposed to protect them."

The brothers are due to be sentenced on Friday after admitting offences including grievous bodily harm with intent.

MAIN POINTS

Thirty one chances to intervene in the attackers' family were "missed" by agencies.

A lack of leadership and multi-agency working contributed to the incident.

Twelve lessons from previous cases that should have been learned but were not.

No action taken after one brother threatened staff at his school with a baseball bat.

No action taken after arson complaints and the killing of ducks at a local pond.