The decision to overturn her ban on working in childcare means that every social worker, manager and police officer yesterday that she felt vindicated by the ruling of the Care Standards Tribunal, which reversed a ban imposed by former education secretary Charles Clarke 

The tribunal panel blamed not the social worker but leaders and managers at Haringey Council in north London for their 'chaotic' supervision.

Miss Arthurworrey was said in Lord Laming's 2003 report into the killing to have failed to notice signs of abuse. In December 1999 and January 2000 she visited the flat, but no one came to the door. Miss Arthurworrey decided the family had left the area. I n reality Victoria was dying in the flat. She was sacked by Haringey Council and lost a employment tribunal case to win her job back. But yesterday the Care Standards Tribunal said it was wrong to prevent her working with children. 

The panel said: 

'Miss Arthurworrey came over to us in her evidence as a straightforward and caring individual who has fully acknowledged the mistakes she made.' 

Miss Arthurworrey told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I made many and serious mistakes However, it is also true that I was badly let down by my employer and had I been working in a different environment maybe those mistakes would not have been made.'
She added: 'I have never considered myself a danger to children, so in that respect I do feel vindicated. 

Far from paying a price for failure senior figures at Haringey at the time of Victoria's death went on to highly paid jobs elsewhere. Mary Richardson, who headed the 'chaotic' social services department, left for a £100,000 a year job as social services director in neighbouring Hackney. Hackney social services were found to have acted questionably in the 'witchcraft' abuse case of another eight-year-old African girl.

Note: Carole Baptiste repeatedly failed to give evidence to inquiry!

A key figure in the Victoria Climbie case is to face trial over accusations that she deliberately failed to appear before the inquiry into the girl's murder. 

Carole Baptiste's prosecution by the inquiry headed by Lord Laming is the first of its kind. 

She pleaded not guilty at Camberwell Green Magistrates Court in south London on Wednesday to breaching a summons issued by the inquiry. Ms Baptiste was a team leader at Haringey social services in north London and the line manager for Victoria's social worker, Lisa Arthurworrey. 

Victoria's parents, Francis and Berthe, yesterday called on the Government to punish those senior managers and councillors who were responsible for the chaos that passed for social care at Haringey at the time of Victoria murder 

They said "only by this can the public have confidence that those really to blame for the failure to protect children have been made to take responsibility for their wrongdoing.'

They added that they have 'always held that Lisa Arthurworrey was simply a convenient scapegoat for the senior people to hide their failings behind'.

The Climbié's hit out at Haringey Council not taking action against Mary Richardson. 

The latter went on to run Hackney social services, where we have again seen a child abuse scandal among the African communities that the social services failed to properly deal with' they said. s.doughty@dailymail.co.uk 

By Steve Doughty, Social Affairs Correspondent Daily Mail Friday, June 10, 2005 

ACCUSATION: Head of Haringey social services department, condemned by the Climbie inquiry for its 'blinding incompetence'. Left the council two months after Victoria's death. 

WHERE IS SHE NOW? Joined Hackney Council as its £100,000-a-year social services director. In charge in Hackney at the time of the 'witchcraft' abuse case, in the news , when social services sent an eight-year-old African girl back to an aunt who was torturing her. 

Comment: Mary Richardson, formerly Haringey's Director of Social Services, was headhunted by Hackney

ACCUSATION: The assistant director of Haringey social services 'knew enough' about the weaknesses of team member Carole Baptiste, according to the report. It claimed that she should have 'at least seriously questioned the wisdom of putting her in charge of a pressurised investigation and assessment team'.
 

WHERE IS SHE NOW? Did not face disciplinary proceedings and moved to a £65,000-a-year post as head of social services at Waltham Forest Council. 

Comment: Carol Wilson, responsible for Haringey's Children Services, moved to Waltham Forest - where the Social Services Inspectorate has recently given no stars at all to the Council's social services department, one of only twelve authorities in the country with such a low rating. 

ACCUSATION: The then chief executive of Haringey Council did not face disciplinary action. This was despite the report claiming he 'carried overall responsibility' for the council. 

WHERE IS HE NOW? Took a job as chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality three weeks before Victoria died. Quit in 2002 after a fracas with police outside Lord's cricket ground. Last year he was one of four British officials to work in Baghdad for the U.S. Agency for International Development. 

Comment: Gurbux Singh, Haringey's former Chief Executive, was Tony Blair's personal choice for Chair of the Commission for Racial Equality, until he got drunk and assaulted a policeman outside Lords.

ACCUSATION: Detective Chief Inspector in charge of Brent and Haringey police child protection units. Accused of allow-ing his units to descend into chaos, with overworked frontline staff having to 'muddle through as best they could'. His 'lack of supervision' was a 'crucial factor in teams being allowed to deteriorate'.

WHERE IS HE NOW? After being seconded to Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, he returned to Scotland Yard in January 2003 because it was felt 'inappropriate' to have him inspecting other officers. 

Comment: Philip Wheeler, who supervised six police child protection teams in north-west London at the time of Victoria's death. He received a formal caution - a less serious punishment than a reprimand. 

ACCUSATION: The PC with Haringey Child Protection Unit was criticised for doing 'nothing' to protect Victoria after she was taken to hospital. Later admitted failing to visit Victoria's home for fear of catching scabies.

WHERE IS SHE NOW? She has not been suspended and continues to serve with the Met. Briefly trained recruits at Hendon Police College on a £27,000-a-year salary, even lecturing trainee constables on child protection. 

Comment: PC Karen Jones who refused to visit the eight-year-old girl's home for fear of catching scabies, received minor rebukes following misconduct hearings 

ACCUSATION: A part-time consultant at Central Middlesex Hospital, she was also head of child protection yet ruled Victoria's injuries were due to scabies. Accused of 'failing to assess the evidence available to her' and not following 'established good medical practice'.

WHERE IS SHE NOW? Given a permanent £60,000-a-year job at the Central Middlesex Hospital in February 2002. Last September, charges of professional misconduct relating to Victoria's case were dropped by the General Medical Council. She was said to be 'relieved'.

Comment: Dr Ruby Schwartz, the consultant paediatrician whose failure to diagnose that Victoria Climbie was being brutally abused led to the eight-year old's return to the carers who were eventually to kill her. Dr Ruby Schwartz had misconduct charges against her dropped by the GMC in 2004

Read About The Victoria Climbie Charitable Fund
Read Updates About Victoria's Story
Timeline Of Events In Victoria's Short Life
Return To Victoria story

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