Even after all the danger signals, Shannon Matthews social workers ruled out action (VIDEO)

SOCIAL services officials failed to take abduction victim Shannon Matthews into care despite warnings she was at risk of being violently or sexually abused or even when her mother tried to give up another of her children.

The Shannon Matthews case: Full coverage

The serious case review by Kirklees Safeguarding Children Board revealed that in 1996 and 2002 experts considered whether to take Karen Matthews's children but in both cases legal advice stated "the threshold conditions had not been reached".

Matthews, who is serving an eight-year sentence for her part in the plot to abduct Shannon, was monitored by care workers for 13 years because of serious concerns about the welfare of her seven children.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Officials were worried about her relationships with numerous men and her ability to protect the children from abuse or get them to attend school.

The inquiry, however, found there had been no failings by the 22 agencies involved with the family, though it made 12 recommendations for improvements.

It concluded that Shannon's abduction from her home in Dewsbury by family members in February 2008 could not have been foreseen.

Board chairman Alison O'Sullivan, director of services for children and young people at Kirklees Council, admitted an opportunity was missed to take one of Matthews's children into care when she herself asked to give the child up.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The report said: "This was an unprecedented case and it was not possible to foresee that Shannon would fall prey to abduction by people closest to her.

"We must equally stress that the threshold for taking any of the children into care – for removing them from their mother – was not reached.."

The report also confirmed that Shannon, then aged nine, had ingested prescription drugs in the 72 hours before she was found and police confirmed there was evidence she had been taking drugs during the previous 12 months.

The inquiry panel admitted they had been unable to find out why Shannon had consumed the drugs, and they had been advised it was not in the schoolgirl's interests for her to be interviewed about the matter. Matthews herself has refused to co-operate with the inquiry.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The report said the family lived a chaotic life lurching from neglect to adequate parenting levels, and at one stage an unborn child was put on the protection register.

It confirmed Shannon was placed on the child protection register in 2002 but was removed in late 2003.

The report states the reasons for the protection registrations were that "the mother had failed to ensure safe parenting with regard to protecting them from contact with individuals who posed a risk of physical or sexual abuse".

But Ms O'Sullivan said this still failed to reach the threshold for taking the children into care.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"These are significant concerns but it is important to recognise that steps were taken to ensure that these children were protected.

"The findings do not reveal serious failings – it is important to distinguish between areas that could do better and serious failings."

She added that disciplinary proceedings against any staff were "not viewed as appropriate" but said a number of improvements would be made through support staff, training and supervision.

The NHS Kirklees director of patient care and professions, Sheila Dilks, said: "There won't be a person involved in working with this family that has not had many a sleepless night.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Health visitors who worked on this case will constantly be reflecting on what they could do to improve."

Shannon disappeared from her home in Dewsbury Moor in February 2008. After a massive police operation she was found 24 days later in the base of a bed at the home of her stepfather's uncle, Michael Donovan, less than a mile away.

In December 2008 Matthews and Donovan were both jailed for eight years for what a judge described as a "truly despicable" plot.

Prosecutors said Donovan kept Shannon imprisoned as part of a plan he and Matthews hatched to claim a 50,000 reward offered by a national newspaper.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The court was told the ordeal left Shannon "disturbed and traumatised" and suffering from nightmares.

ENQUIRY FINDINGS

Shannon's family was monitored for 13 years by 22 agencies

Karen Matthews assessed by psychologists in 1997 and 2004

Shannon placed on child protection register in 2002 but removed a year later

Related topics: