Charity calls double after Baby P

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The number of calls to the NSPCC's helpline doubled because of people horrified by the Baby P case, it says.

Around 12,000 sent a letter to their MP from the charity's website calling for more protection for children.

Meanwhile, the Local Government Association has warned that a feared backlash from the case has scared off potential social workers.

Baby P died in August 2007 after suffering injuries inflicted by his mother, her boyfriend and another man.

National measures

Giles Pegram, director of fundraising at the NSPCC, said: "In the week following the end of the Baby P case we received double the normal amount of calls we usually get."

He said most calls were from people who wanted to "express their grief and concern" over the 17-month-old's death while others offered to make a donation.

He said around 12,000 people also used the charity's website to send a letter to their MPs calling for them to lobby government for better child protection services.

The charity is lobbying for the government to develop and implement a national action plan to prevent child abuse deaths.

For the most part it's a thankless task where you don't get supported when you should Ian JohnstonBritish Association of Social Worker <a class="" href="/1/hi/england/gloucestershire/7791638.stm">Baby P case 'led to verbal abuse' </a>

Baby P suffered more than 50 injuries over eight months, despite being on the Haringey Child Protection Register and being visited 60 times by social workers, police and medical professionals.

The Local Government Association (LGA) fears a backlash against social workers could inadvertently harm vulnerable children and cause people who were considering working in the industry to back away.

It said this would worsen ongoing problems with recruitment and retention, leaving "serious gaps in the safety net".

Ian Johnston, chief executive of the British Association of Social Workers, said: "It's quite worrying, the thought that you might be vilified by the entire nation.

"No other profession has to put up with that."

A recent LGA survey showed two-thirds of councils in England already had serious difficulties recruiting and retaining frontline staff to work in child protection even before the details of Baby P's death emerged.

'Thankless'

The survey of nearly 200 councils found that between July and September this year, nearly twice as many had problems finding staff for child protection work as they did for adult social care.

Mr Johnston said it had always been difficult to fill social worker positions in children's services, and, more specifically, child protection.

He said: "This is not a well-paid job. For the most part it's a thankless task where you don't get supported when you should."

Mr Johnston also criticised comments made by the prime minister and other politicians after the court case.

"The thing that sticks out in my mind when the Baby P case unfolded was Gordon Brown said he would make sure that all children in the UK were safe.

"It is that sort of statement that sets the unrealistic expectations that social workers have had to deal with, " he said.

The LGA called for more investment in the industry so the councils could recruit and retain more skilled staff.

But it added any increase would have to be "carefully managed and targeted".

LGA chairman Margaret Eaton said it was important to learn lessons from the Baby P case without putting people off the career.

She said: "It is a tough job to do and for councils it is the toughest job to fill."

On 11 November this year, Jason Owen, 36, from Bromley, and the 32-year-old boyfriend of the boy's mother were found guilty of causing the child's death.