Social workers shun Climbie council

Social workers are reluctant to join the council at the centre of the Victoria Climbie scandal as a result of the heavy criticism it has received during the public inquiry, it was claimed today.

Haringey council is having difficulty recruiting even temporary staff after nearly two months of bad publicity since the inquiry into the eight-year-old's death began.

The disclosure will fuel fears that the affair has done lasting damage to the social work profession, aggravating the very recruitment problems thought to have been a factor in Victoria's death at the hands of her greataunt and her great- aunt's boyfriend. At the time Haringey dealt with Victoria's case in the summer of 1999 it was already having difficulties getting permanent staff and relied on agencies to fill nearly 70 per cent of jobs.

George Meehan, leader of the Labour-run council, said: "There is a difficulty now getting people even from agency staff. I just wonder who would want to be a social worker. The way social workers are being projected at the moment makes me concerned about the ability to get people onto staff and retain them."

He said the downturn had been noted since the inquiry began in the last week in September, before which all the council's mid-level social work posts had been filled.

Haringey bore the brunt of the criticism levelled at various child care agencies during the trial of Victoria's killers. A former manager, Carole Baptiste, faces a court appearance next week after refusing a summons to give evidence to the inquiry.

Two weeks ago the inquiry heard allegations that another social work chief, Angella Mairs, tore up incriminating documents in the wake of Victoria's death.

Some London boroughs have vacancy rates of nearly 75 per cent in their childcare field teams. The national average is 15 per cent.