3 children a week die of abuse
A SHOCKING 210 children died from abuse or neglect in England in 16 months – equivalent to three every week.
Of the 21 babies, only two were known to social services, said Ofsted chief inspector Christine Gilbert.
The statistics, released to MPs investigating the Baby P tragedy, show just how many councils fail to protect abused youngsters.
Ms Gilbert told the Commons children, schools and families committee yesterday that Ofsted destroyed all data three months after an assessment.
Chairman Barry Sheerman said he feared the case of Baby P in Haringey, north London, might not be an exception and other councils may also be failing to protect children. He told Ms Gilbert: “You have brought to us the most horrific figures I’ve ever seen brought into the public domain.
“This session made me less confident rather than more confident that there isn’t going to be another Haringey waiting.”
Ofsted’s latest figures put the number of children dying from abuse much higher than previously estimated.
Earlier NSPCC reports, based on police records, had suggested one or two deaths per week and one child killed by parents every 10 days.
Ofsted’s figures for April 2007 to August 2008 are thought to come from serious-case reviews, where not all incidents involve police.
Baby P died after suffering 50 injuries at the hands of his mother, her boyfriend and their lodger.