Task D
My report on an issue/area of public concern related to the care profession – The death of Baby P.
The issue/area of concern raised in this report is as to how Peter’s death happened in the first place.
Peter Conelly also known as ‘Baby P’ was born in London, on the 1st March 2006, he sadly died on the 3rd August 2007 age 17 months. He died after receiving/suffering more than 50 injuries over a period of 8 months. During this time he was repeatedly seen by Haringey’s Children’s Services and its NHS professionals –
At the beginning of these 8 months Peter’s mother’s boyfriend moved into the home they shared, and this was kept from the police and the social workers. On Dec 11th 2006 Peter was taken to hospital with extensive bruising, the doctors referred the case to the Metropolitan Police’s Child abuse investigation team and Peter was given to a family friend to be looked after. The police then arrested Peter’s mother on suspicion of assaulting her son, she denied the claims. Peter was then placed on the child protection register. After just five weeks of being cared for by the family friend Peter was returned to the care of his mother. The police passed a file about Peter’s injuries to the CPS (crown prosecution service), which requested further investigation. A little later the family are moved to a larger house and Haringey council appoints Maria ward as the family’s new social worker. Once again Peter is admitted to hospital, this time with more bruising, black eyes and swelling on his head. Peter’s mother justifies his injuries by telling the hospital they were caused by Peter being pushed into a marble fireplace by another child; this incident was not reported to the police, and Peter is later discharged from hospital. In June 2007 Peter's mother’s boyfriend’s brother moves into the home with a 15 year old runaway, that he called his girlfriend. Later in June Maria Ward the families social worker alerts police after