Responding to Baby P’s death  

Lord Laming’s report will be published tomorrow. It’s important to acknolweldge that society’s protection for a vulnerable child was once again found wanting when Baby P was wickedly killed. It’s also important we build upwards from this recognition and design systems for safeguarding children that are more effective in future. I’m leading a group to see Secretary of State Ed Balls next week to offer some suggestions. I am doing this in my capacity as the MP who chairs the Associate Parliamentary Group for Looked after Children and Care leavers. The huge membership of this Group, which includes adults with past care experience and children and young people currently in care, thinks we have something to offer to the design of better safeguarding services. We’re going to focus especially on three issues. First, the crucial need for a stable and successful...