Child protection - Failures are costing lives

Nearly 200 children died in State care or while they were in contact with child-protection services in the last decade.

Almost inevitably those who pay the highest price for this systems’ failure, despite the great efforts of the majority of social workers and others involved in the process, are found amongst society’s poorest and most vulnerable.

There will be the usual three or four days of debate, high dudgeon and anger over this report but then the issues will be almost forgotten, overtaken by the next sensation. Is it too much to hope that this time there will be an adequate political response to ending this tragedy? That services might be properly funded and reformed to protect these vulnerable young people?