Source: The Guardian and Southampton Local Safeguarding Children Board Published on this site Monday 23rd February 2015 by Jill Powell
A seven-year-old boy died after the authorities failed for four years to take action despite 18 opportunities to step in, a Serious Case Review has found.
Blake Fowler suffered a severe head injury at his home in Southampton, Hampshire, in December 2011, from which he later died.
An inquest in November 2013 recorded an open determination and heard that a post-mortem examination showed that Blake died as a result of a brain haemorrhage.
Following the inquest, Hampshire police reopened its investigation after a review was carried out of the original inquiry.
His mother, stepfather and step-uncle were arrested last year but the Crown Prosecution Service ruled that no further action would be taken against them due to lack of evidence.
Concerns for ill-treatment were first made in November 2007 and despite numerous contacts between Blake and the health and social care services, he remained with his family until his death more than four years later.
Keith Makin, independent chairman of the Southampton Local Safeguarding Children Board, said that the errors made were “simply unacceptable” and there had been “significant failures” in the child protection system in the city.
He said: “Blake was only seven years old when he died in 2011. His family were well known to local services in Southampton as a result of domestic abuse and there had been long-term concerns about Blake’s safety. The Serious Case Review highlighted several missed opportunities to help Blake and a number of significant failures in our child protection system. The errors made in this case were simply unacceptable. On behalf of the Southampton Local Safeguarding Children Board, along with colleagues from the council, police and health services in the city, I would like to say how sorry we are that Blake did not get the help that he needed.”
Southampton Local Safeguarding Children Board have published a detailed overview report. To read this report click: http://www.safecic.co.uk/freebies/55-free-downloads-and-safeguarding-links/406-relrepo
