Jan 08 2009
A Response To Miss Shoesmith On The Baby P Case
Anybody who happens to read this blog on regular basis will be fully aware of the fact that I welcome any and all comments on every post that I publish. Unlike some others that refuse to publish comments that disagree with them or that actively challenge what they have written, I welcome such comments because hopefully it creates debate and makes people think. After all, we all have to work together to create a better world for future generations. This is why I published a comment from a Miss Shoesmith that was made on my last post about the Baby P case and Sharon Shoesmith appealing over the decision to sack her. It can be found here.
Miss Shoesmith’s comment is on that post for all to read and I encourage people to read it because, far from making me think again about what I have said regarding the Baby P case, I am more resolved than ever in my beliefs. I’m sure that the rest of the Great Britsh public will be as well because it displays the same sort of attitude that Sharon Shoesmith has displayed throughout. Instead of appealing to me, it simply got my back up because it went on the attack immediately and effectively called me both a liar and uneducated. If it is from a member of Shoesmith’s family and they have been receiving death threats then that is wrong because nobody deserves that. I can’t imagine that anyone else would stick up for her though so it must be!
Let’s get one thing clear first though. I research my posts and respond to my findings. I offer opinions as a result of that. I also worked in a caring profession for 6 years before following my dream to be a writer so I am qualified to comment on how hard it is and how the system works. Furthermore, I have a Masters degree so am highly educated. I hate having to say that because it does not make me any different to anyone else, with or without any educational qualifications. In this world, we should all be equal but the person that made the comment obviously made some quick assumptions about me and acted on them. Unfortunately, this has made her appear to be a little snobbish in a number of ways.
The whole response is based on the idea that I read The Sun. I like the sports pages as a season ticket holder at Aston Villa but I watch the news on many major stations for my news information. Like any writer, I research several sources before putting my fingers to the keyboard.
I know what I saw in interviews - arrogrance and nothing even resembling remorse from Sharon Shoesmith. That includes entire press conferences so I listened to what she had to say and responded to it. In fact, I didn’t even write about Baby P until the report had been issued because I wanted to make sure that I had all the information necessary to make judgements. I have read the report and know exactly what it says. I also know that the whole system is criticised in it. However, special criticism was reserved for the management at Haringey and Shoesmith was a key member of that. Miss Shoesmith obviously has a vested interest in defending Sharon Shoesmith, but I do not. I’m a member of the outraged public that do not want people that allow a baby to die with over 50 new and old injuries alike when it could have been prevented. All were highlighted in the post mortem. Old injuries are noticeable don’t forget so the abuse must have been going on for quite some time. That actively contradicts the comment I received, but then I am a little perplexed as to how Miss Shoesmith would know the exact state of Baby P unless she had been there.
As for many Baby P’s occuring week after week, I know it does but it should not do and the entire system does need an overhaul but it cannot do so with people that wave figures at the general public in charge to justify her job. I am sure that Sharon Shoesmith is a loving mother to her own children but she was paid to protect those that are not loved nor treated well asn she failed to do that. The fact remains that her actions in press conferences demonstrated little care for Baby P at all. You cannot take away from the fact that she highlighted statistics and graphs in the press conferences afterwards and that immediately made her a target for the press. Others may believe everything that is written in the tabloids. I do not, but that does not mean that I am incapable of forming my own opinion based on evidence. That is what I have done and I stand by what I said - Shoesmith cannot be allowed back into her job. A child’s life was lost as a result of mismanagement (as per the report) so the management should pay with their jobs, including Shoesmith.
I believe that Miss Shoesmith’s comment will offend most people and cement their views but please feel free to leave you opinions here as to whether you think she has been treated badly or not.
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Having read Miss Shoesmith’s comment it occurs to me that the she concentrates her anger based on Sharon Shoesmith’s situation rather the most important person at the centre of this whole subject; little Baby P. Can Miss Shoesmith clarify some points then which the media have reported? For example; Did not Social Services have contact with Baby P and his mother over 60 times prior to his death?
Did not the police themselves recommend that Baby P should be taken into care? Was Baby P allowed to be returned to his ‘mother’ after being treated in hospital for non-accidental injuries?
If any of the above reports were false then Miss Shoesmith may have an argument. If however they are correct then how can you expect anything else but the agencies responsible to be called negligent? The most important issue above Sharon Shoesmith or anybody else for that matter, is that this child could still be alive today had he had been taken into care. You cant expect the public to beleive that after 60, yes 60 visits, Social Services made a mistake. It was NOT a mistake, it was NEGLIGENCE. This poor child cannot redeem himself so why should the people who FAILD him?? Inless of course you acn proove that the media did get it wrong!
That’s really interesting. I don’t really see how anyone can defend someone who failed to do their job, which was protecting children. Whether they were the only one who failed, or not, all should be punished. There seems to be a big problem, just like this in the United States. There are tons of children who are injured and killed every day by obviously neglectful caregivers, yet these health workers and social service workers will give loving parents problems about how they decide to raise their children. I’ve seen tons of cases where whole communities knew someone was abusing their child and reported it, but professionals never did anything. In the end, the child ended up becoming terribly abused and even killed. I really don’t understand how this can happen with the things they do when taking a child to the doctors or anything even, but it does. For example, you must strip children down for check ups here so that health providers can check them out from head to toe. God forbid that they have a birthmark, or they will try to say it’s a bruise. You pretty much will have to go get their birth records to show that your child was born with an obvious birthmark! Yet, someone who beats their child can go into the same office as us, and the child can have tons of bruises. Guess what? Nothing is ever said to that person about why their child has bruises. I could tell you tons of things, and that is why the system is flawed. Needless to say, I set anyone straight if they attempt in telling me how to raise our daughter or try to say her birthmark is some type of bruise. I believe that children should be loved and held up high. If the person doesn’t want a child or the responsibility, then they should give that child to someone who does. I may not know all of the details of the case, and I do not know any of these people personally. I really believe it’s a very sad world indeed when something like this can happen to any child.