Opportunities to prevent the death of an 11-month-old boy murdered by his mother were missed, an inquiry has found.
A serious case review has concluded Callum Wilson, who suffered broken bones, was blinded and sustained a brain injury, was let down by authorities. He died in March, 2011.
His 25-year-old mother Emma Wilson, from Windsor, Berkshire, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 14 years in January for his murder.
The review, carried out by Windsor and Maidenhead Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB), identified a number of missed opportunities to protect Callum and his brother and suggested the risks to them were underestimated by authorities.
As with her first child, Wilson showed no physical signs of pregnancy and was able to keep Callum’s birth a secret. He was put into foster care after he was born but returned to his mother’s home in November 2010.
The report said the pattern of two concealed pregnancies “should without doubt have led professionals to be curious about the mother’s personality and mental health, even if superficially she was offering good care”.
Other failings included not sharing key information with other professionals, and not recognising the “potential significance” of bruising and scratching on a baby.
Donald McPhail, chairman of the LSCB, expressed “collective regret” the risks to Callum were not identified and action taken to protect him.
A joint statement issued by Windsor and Maidenhead Council and health agencies, said: “Little Callum Wilson’s death in March 2011 was a terrible tragedy and all the agencies involved express our sincere sympathy to those who loved him during his very short life.
“Changes have been made to strengthen our policies and procedures, for example formal reporting of bruising in very young children and a new policy on concealed pregnancies.
“In the years since Callum’s death we have continued to strengthen our procedures beyond the recommendations of the report as we work in partnership to protect children.
“We can never guarantee the total safely of every child who comes into our care or seeks our help. However, we can work to ensure that, as far as possible, the mistakes made in Callum’s case will not be repeated and that staff are given all the necessary support, training and guidance to enable them to deliver the service that every child deserves.”
Source Article from https://uk.news.yahoo.com/chances-missed-prevent-baby-death-131437469.html
Chances 'Missed' To Prevent Baby's Death
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