Can We Prevent Child Deaths: The Case of Stephen Boden and Shannon Marsden.

There can be no doubt that the terrible injuries and death inflicted on baby Finley by his parents is shocking and disturbing. There will no doubt be inquiries and a serious case review to see whether lessons can be learned.

But this blog asks readers to see the bigger picture. Every year about 80 children die from injuries received whilst in the care of others. Increasing the number of children in care, from 68,110 in March 2013 to 82,170 in March 2022 has done nothing to reduce child murders. Since 2008, the numbers of children in care has steadily increased year on year, yet the number of child deaths at their carers' hands has stayed roughly the same.

It's no good blaming the CAFCASS worker or the social worker. We know from endless inquiries that a very tiny minority of parents are extremely devious and manipulative.

We will never change that, nor the fact that professionals will be deceived. It is not their fault.

What we can do is offer far more support and contact for parents who are perceived to be at risk of failing their children. This means the following:

1. Properly trained children's social workers, who qualify precisely in that field - not via a generic social work degree that offers very little professional training or academic work.

2. Pursuant to that, we must pay our properly trained Child and Family Social Workers a professional's salary.

3. In this way we can increase the work force and shift the focus away from child protection and onto family support.

4. Through professionally and academically trained Child and Family Social Workers, regular family support will mean much more contact with parents and child and much more knowledge and support.

We cannot stop malevolent carers. If inquiries such as the Victoria Climbie inquiry tell us anything, it is that child protection alone cannot work.