NEWS OF THE WORLD LEADER COLUMN

07/12/2008

To fail just one is to fail us all

THE abject failings of social services to protect the most vulnerable is utterly appalling.

To write off victims as unavoidable casualties of sink estates, mirroring TV's Shameless, is totally unacceptable.

Child protection agencies are there to safeguard youngsters from misery, violence and sex abuse.

From Victoria Climbie to Baby P and Shannon Matthews, social workers were alerted to the plight of children at the gravest risk.

Yet repeated warnings and cries for help went unheeded as they comprehensively failed the most defenceless.

Far too often those paid to care for children allow paperwork and dangerously misguided performance targets to override sense and humanity.

Serious scrutiny of their secretive empires is long overdue and that's why promised spot checks are crucial.

Children's Secretary Ed Balls is right to identify that the standing of social workers has to be improved.

And we will be watching to ensure his £73 million commitment to training, best practice and recruitment makes a measurable difference.

Those tasked with protecting the most vulnerable carry a huge responsibility. But that responsibility has to be overseen and made accountable.

It is too easy to condemn Welfare Britain as a lost cause.

Any civilised society should want to help the less fortunate.

Victoria Climbie, Baby P and Shannon Matthews are shameful examples of a systematic breakdown and failure in our welfare programme.

Nothing is more important than to get it right.

Clerks on heroes' pay

DO civil servants sent to war zones really merit £60-£80,000 bonuses when our brave soldiers get just £3,500?

Of course the penpushers' postings are more hazardous than Whitehall.

But what of troops like those feted by Chelsea football club this week?

They put their lives on the line every day for the nation. All too often returning home maimed and broken.

We don't begrudge the red-tape brigade reasonable reward for extra risk.

Just as long as we NEVER short-change Britain's true heroes.

The Windsor of Woolies

AS shoppers spending hundreds of millions give stores Christmas hope, a word of advice to Her Majesty:

If you're looking for cheaper crackers than your usual deluxe versions, you might still just find some in the Woolies sale for around 50p each.

Or to you, ma'am, half a sovereign.

Your comments

This article has 6 comments

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By ravin. Posted December 15 2008 at 12:43 PM.

The article on the social services is spot on. You could not be more right.

By nick lane. Posted December 14 2008 at 11:29 AM.

ED BALLS stated on TV that SHOESMITH had been sacked,as she. HURT FEELINGS or AGE DISCRIMINATION 200000 pounds BRAVE SOLDIERS BODIES WRECKED A PERCENTAGE of that welcome to POLITICAL CORRECT BRITAIN

By BILL. Posted December 7 2008 at 12:44 PM.

the ingrate pen-pushers, with their platinum plated salaries/pensions/early retirement, have their positions riding on the back of our great girls and boys of our armed forces, past and present. How about a who,s who of this grubby lot throughout my islands.

By teddy.mcnabb@googlemail.com. Posted December 7 2008 at 12:57 AM.

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