Staff shortages undermine care

Care workers should not be faulted for adopting a safety first approach when they see the level of criticism meted out to their colleagues in Haringey, or in Doncaster where seven at risk youngsters have died while under the local council's auspices.

They also know they are in a "cinderella" profession where their work is only highlighted when there is a neglect case. Confidentiality precludes success stories – those children saved from abusive parents – being published in full.

This backdrop explains why so many people are reluctant to become

social workers. They are simply put off by the level of responsibility –and the consequences if one of their decisions jeopardises a child's future wellbeing. One mistake could be fatal.

Yet, paradoxically, the need for additional staff is paramount. One of the recurring themes of the more recent cruelty cases is the shortage of qualified carers at the councils in question.

However, each new set of embarrassing disclosure lessens the chances of people coming forward to train to be carers, leaving existing staff having to deal with an intolerable number of highly-complex cases.

The consequence is an even greater likelihood that mistakes will be made when the sole objective of local authorities, and the Government, should be a series of measures which lessen the risks of the welfare of vulnerable children being compromised.

For, when staff can command confidence in the judgment of their bosses, and the official procedures, they may be in a better position to back their own judgment on the less serious cases – so the majority of time, and resources, can be devoted to those youngsters whose very existence depends on the professionalism of their assigned case officer.