Shoesmith should have done the decent thing and resigned before she was booted out. Whilst not personally responsible for the death of Baby Peter, she presided over a social service department which was a shambles, and the buck always stops at the top! For her to bellyache because procedurally her sacking should have been done better, does her no credit. Baby Peter suffered all his 17 months of life, so her pain is nothing compared with that.