Attack report 'must be disclosed'

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The full findings of a report into a brutal attack on two boys in Edlington should be published, the shadow children's minister has said.

Tim Loughton said a complete version of a serious case review must be released to show lessons have been learned.

The Safeguarding Children Board report, seen by BBC Newsnight, found the attack could have been prevented.

Doncaster Council said an executive summary would be published on Friday, in line with government legislation.

Two brothers aged 10 and 11 at the time have admitted the attack last April, and will be sentenced later this week.

The attack on the 11-year-old and nine-year-old boy happened in the rural ponds area outside the former mining community last spring.

The boys were lured there by the brothers and subjected to a prolonged assault so serious that some details will never be made public.

One boy was left in a coma after a sink was dropped on his head.

The brothers had moved to Edlington just three weeks before the attack to live with foster parents.

'Warts and all'

The report identifies multiple failings by nine different agencies and says 31 chances to intervene were missed over 14 years.

Some of its main criticisms are directed at Doncaster Council's children's services department, which is blamed for a lack of leadership and accountability.

Speaking on BBC's Newsnight programme, Mr Loughton said he believed the report would only be released in draft summary form on Friday.

"The serious case review should be published in full so we can see warts and all exactly what went wrong and give some reassurance to people that mistakes are being learnt from," he said.

This shows the terrible situation that Doncaster children's services are in Peter BradleyDeputy Director, Kidscape

Dr Ray Jones, a professor of social work at Kingston University, London, said the details of members of the public and family members who featured in any such report should not be released.

He said that any executive summary of the Edlington case should be an "honest reflection" of what was contained in the full report.

A Doncaster Council spokeswoman said "In line with government legislation the executive summary will be published by the Safeguarding Children Board."

Peter Bradley, deputy director of children's charity Kidscape, said the report's findings were "absolutely appalling".

"This shows the terrible situation that Doncaster children's services are in," he added.

The report is the latest serious case review centred around Doncaster, where seven children have died since 2004, despite being on the at risk register.

The council is reserving comment on the report's findings until it is published.