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.
From what I remember, T, Shoesmith actually improved the service in Haringey whilst in post. The problem is that society is so ambivalent when it comes to vulnerable children (and adults - especially elderly ones [see today's news about the state of the care home sector]); wailing when things go wrong yet being unwilling to put the money where its wails are.
I also blame our increasing assumption that a degree makes one a better 'carer', be that as a teacher, a nurse or a social worker. This focus on academic ability has squeezed a lot of naturally-gifted carers out of the system.
Ed Balls was determined to blame everything on Shoesmith, since that would ease the pressure on his department and its predecessors who have failed our children over the past 40+ years.
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