Baby P social workers to appeal over sacking

Two social workers who lost their jobs after the killing of Baby P will appeal against an employment tribunal ruling they were fairly sacked.

Peter Connelly died being abused in Haringey, north London, in 2007.

Gillie Christou and Maria Ward claim they were unjustly fired by Haringey Council in response to the public outcry.

In 2010, a tribunal found the authority acted reasonably because of failings in the care they provided.

‘Double jeopardy’

Peter was found dead in a blood-splattered cot with more than 50 injuries.

His mother Tracey Connelly was jailed in 2009 after admitting causing or allowing his death.

Her boyfriend Steven Barker and their lodger, Jason Owens, were found guilty at the Old Bailey of the same charge.

Lawyers for Mrs Christou and Ms Ward will make reference to a landmark Court of Appeal ruling last May that Haringey’s children’s services director, Sharon Shoesmith, was unfairly sacked over the tragedy.

Senior judges found the council and former children’s secretary Ed Balls acted in a way that was “procedurally unfair” when Ms Shoesmith was removed from her post and then fired without compensation in December 2008.

Mrs Christou and Ms Ward’s legal teams will also claim they suffered “double jeopardy” because they faced two Haringey misconduct panels looking at the same allegations against them.

Peter was 17 months old when he died in Tottenham, north London, in August 2007.

Ms Ward was Peter’s nominated social worker at Haringey Council from February 2007 until his death, and Mrs Christou was her team manager.

The pair were sacked after an investigation which discovered there was a period in mid-2007 when they did not know where the child was.
Admitted failing

In May 2010, a General Social Care Council disciplinary committee suspended Ms Ward for two months and Mrs Christou for four months – on top of a 16-month interim suspension ahead of the hearing.

They admitted failing to ensure Peter was visited regularly enough, not keeping adequate records and losing contact with him for a time.

Meanwhile, two senior children’s services managers sacked over the tragedy – Ms Shoesmith’s deputy, Cecilia Hitchen, and head of safeguarding services Clive Preece – have also launched employment tribunal claims against Haringey Council.

A preliminary hearing in their case is due to be held in Watford in April, and a full hearing could follow before the end of the year.