'Unlawful' social services inquiry attacked by councillors (From Haringey Independent)

'Unlawful' social services inquiry by Haringey Borough Council attacked by councillors

11:17am Friday 15th March 2013 in News By Bruce Thain

Haringey Borough Council has been attacked by opposition councillors over social services' unlawful investigation into a child's welfare.

Yesterday a High Court Judge ruled there was no basis for the authority's social workers to have investigated whether the young girl was being mistreated back in 2011.

The child’s parents were awarded £2,000 in compensation after it was found the council had gone to the child's GP and school without the parents' knowledge during its investigation.

Councillor Katherine Reece, Liberal Democrat spokeswoman for children, said: “It is such a shame that Haringey has been found to have failed yet again. In this case they have been found to have acted overzealously resulting in a breach of parents’ rights.

“This comes on top of the recent case of the Haringey baby left on a bus by a foster carer. They can’t get the balance right.

“These two cases confirm that despite recent progress Haringey Council’s children services still have a long way to go and still require improvement.”

MP for Hornsey and Wood Green Lynne Featherstone said: “Not only did Haringey Council act unlawfully throughout the investigation, they have also breached the Human Rights Act and will have to pay compensation accordingly."

She added: “This is a damning verdict. Yet again, Haringey children’s services have failed. Even after Baby P, they still have not managed to get the department in order. Haringey Children, parents and residents deserve better.”

A spokesman for the council said yesterday the handling of the case “fell below the standards that we would expect, and we apologise to the family concerned.”