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Care spiral after Baby P reforms
THE number of vulnerable children under the protection of Blackpool Council has rocketed since the death of Peter Connelly - known to the world as Baby P.
Today the authority is responsible for the care of 390 children – 43 per cent higher than 2008 when the report into the death of 17-month-old Peter was published.
The toddler died after suffering more than 50 injuries over an eight-month period when he was repeatedly seen by Haringey Children's Services – the same authority that had failed 10 years earlier in the equally tragic case of Victoria Climbi.
A report by Lord Laming stated too many authorities had failed to adopt reforms.
Since then councils across the UK have seen a sharp rise in the number of referrals of vulnerable children into their care.
Blackpool Council overspent 2.8m on children's social care last year, although this was offset by savings.
Town hall chiefs today said unless cuts were made the spiralling cost of protecting vulnerable children would eat into cash reserves.
Council leader Peter Callow said Blackpool was not alone, but pressures on services were more acute here.
He said: "Blackpool has for many years been a magnet for people with problems in their background.
"We have accommodation and so people come here, which they are free to do. When they are here we have a duty of care to them.
"We take the protection of vulnerable young people extremely seriously. The knock-on effect is a huge strain on our resources."
FOR MORE FROM PETER CALLOW AND TO READ THE FULL STORY PICK UP A COPY OF THURSDAY'S GAZETTE.
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Weather for Blackpool
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Heavy sleet
Temperature: 2 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: South east
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