SASW responds to conviction in Renfrewshire child death case

The Scottish Association of Social Workers (SASW) has responded to Katherine Hainey’s life sentence for the murder of her son Declan, who was last seen alive when he was 15-months-old, by emphasising the wider social responsibility to ensure the safety of children and young people.

Ms Hainey, a 37-year-old from Renfrewshire, was found guilty of murder by majority verdict at the High Court in Glasgow after a trial which heard that her son had apparently been dead for months in her rubbish strewn flat in Paisley.

The court heard how Ms Hainey, who faces life imprisonment, was a substance misuser during her pregnancy but had overcome her addictions, with the support of health and social workers, after Declan was born.

Declan was described as thriving in his mother’s care until she relapsed. Evidence emerged of how Ms Hainey then became expert at avoiding her son having contact with health professionals, as well as her family and neighbours. It was not until some months after his death that his decomposed body was found in his cot by police on 30 March 2010.

Commenting in the aftermath of the 15 December verdict, SASW manager Ruth Stark said:

“There are always lessons to be learned from terrible cases like these. Declan’s tragic death demonstrates that it is the responsibility of us all to make sure that our children are safe.

“Social workers need support from the families and communities with whom these children have regular contact, we need them to tell us if they have concerns so that we can act if appropriate.”