Learning from the death of Baby P
Sharon Shoesmith was head of children’s services at the centre of the Baby P controversy.
In 2017 it will be 10 years since the death of Peter Connolly (Baby P), a 17-month-old who was found dead at home in north London.
A serious case review that investigated what social workers, the police and GPs did, found "the practice of the majority, both individually and collectively... was incompetent", and his death "could have been prevented".
Sharon Shoesmith was the head of Haringey children’s services at the time of Peter's death. She was sacked in December 2008 by the then children’s secretary Ed Balls, but claimed she had been unfairly dismissed and the Court of Appeal ruled in her favour in 2011.
Ms Shoesmith has since written a book, Learning from Baby P, based on a PhD she has completed. She spoke to Eddie Mair about the book and her experiences of being public enemy number one.
(Photo: Sharon Shoesmith. Credit: Getty Images/AFP)
Podcast
-
![]()
The Eddie Mair Interview
Eddie Mair speaks at length to people with interesting things to say, for Radio 4's PM.
