Errors made over care of children

The deaths of three children in Nottingham could not have been prevented despite mistakes by care agencies, it has been claimed.

Reports carried out by the Nottingham City Safeguarding Children Board said mistakes were made in six cases between 2005 and 2007.

Serious case reviews are carried out when a child dies or is seriously injured after abuse or neglect.

The board's chair Margaret McGlade said things were improving in Nottingham.

We are not at the stage where we can say safeguarding services in Nottingham are excellent

Margaret McGlade, Nottingham Safeguarding Children Board

"It is, of course, a concern that there were six serious case reviews. In this period, around 2006, there were particular challenges about safeguarding in the city.

"I do think things have improved. It is better than 2006 but we are not at the stage where we can say safeguarding services in Nottingham are excellent."

In June 2007, the parents of four-month-old "Rachel" went to sleep either side of her after a nine-hour drinking binge and accidentally suffocated her.

Child care agencies failed to adequately investigate how much the baby girl's mother was actually drinking, the report said.

In April 2006, four-month-old "Danielle" was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead. Her father was charged with her murder.

Key workers and decision makers failed to make notes of domestic abuse claims from the baby's mother a few months before Danielle died.

Child protection workers in Nottingham were also criticised in the review of the case of "child A" for failing to pass on information to counterparts in Sheffield.

The child's father, known to Nottingham's child care agencies, was later jailed for life for his murder.

Ms McGlade added: "They [child protection workers, including social workers, police, doctors and council workers] sometimes make poor judgements and these serious case reviews have identified weaknesses that all agencies concerned are learning from.

"The serious case reviews clearly concluded that the deaths could not have been predicted or prevented."