When will we learn?

Dec 4 2008 by Andrew Baldwin, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TO those who live a happy, peaceable existence, shocking stories of domestic violence must sound as if they come from the pages of fiction.

In the UK, an incredible 25% of children live with such violence – either as victims or observers.

One of them was little Ryan Hawkins, a four-year-old knifed to death in Slaithwaite by his father.

Police, social workers and health professionals stand accused of failing him in a report on their handling of his case, as we reported in yesterday’s Examiner.

Sadly, the dossier of events comes as no surprise to those who have become used to a seemingly endless stream of such investigations, Baby P being among the latest.

All bring the reaction from the authorities that lessons have been learned. Clearly, in the wake of continuing incidents, they are not.

It is true to say that it was Christopher Hawkins who killed his son and brutally attacked his daughter, not social services or anyone else.

But the warning signs were there.

We reveal in today’s Examiner that Kirklees councillors are going to examine child protection in the wake of Baby P’s death.

They ought also to bear in mind the collective failings revealed over Ryan Hawkins.

Highly paid officials are sitting in daily judgement on these and many other cases – and clearly, in many instances, they are failing the people they are there to serve.

In all these matters, the people suffering most are those most vulnerable and at risk in our society.

The political leadership – and those executives who have charge of workplace practices and performance – must now look to themselves and ask some challenging questions.

Far from local reviews, the time is clearly ripe for a major national inquiry into how we still seem unable to protect the most vulnerable in our society.