115 children at risk face delay in going into care

More than 100 children on the at risk register face long delays in being placed in care because of staff shortages across London.

The number of children waiting to have their futures finalised has soared to 115 after staff began to "panic" after the Baby P scandal in November when the figure stood at eight.

Experts today warned the delays were putting vulnerable children at physical and emotional risk.

The report into the case of Baby P, a 17-month-old boy who died in Haringey with more than 50 injuries, will be released on Thursday by Lord Laming.

Critics suggest social workers are more keen than ever to take vulnerable children away from their parents to avoid the sort of blame directed at council staff following Baby P's death.

But Cafcass, the children and family court advisory support service - an independent body which represents children in care proceedings - is struggling to cope and has failed to clear a growing backlog.

Harry Fletcher, chairman of Napo, the family court union, said: "It's a critical role and these 115 cases are just really in limbo. The longer a child is in limbo, the more it will suffer emotionally.

"There is no one in those 115 cases to represent the child and that means severe delays. The risk will be that the child suffers."

Cafcass staff represent children when social workers believe they should be taken into care, being involved in meetings to decide their future.