Pressure mounts on Haringey Council as inspector hands over Baby P report » Local Government » 24dash.com

Pressure was mounting on senior figures at Haringey Council today with inspectors handing ministers a report into failings exposed by the Baby P tragedy.

Children's Secretary Ed Balls ordered an urgent review of the local authority's welfare services after the little boy was killed while on the child protection register.

The inspectors will today provide the minister with a first report on their findings, which he has pledged to make public.

Local Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone predicted the investigation would reveal a "litany of failures" and lead to the resignation of Haringey's head of children services, Sharon Shoesmith.

She told GMTV: "In terms of those who have failed in their duties, well, that's an employment matter - either they'll be exonerated, disciplined or sacked or whatever.

"The important thing in terms of the investigation is I'm hoping Ed Balls will say he is going to put in effectively special measures to look after Haringey and hold it safe."

Mrs Shoesmith has faced widespread public anger over her department's handling of the Baby P case.

At the end of the trial of those responsible last month, she avoided saying sorry for the tragedy.

Asked if she would apologise to the child's natural father, she said only: "I am responsible to see that the services that I head up work to the best of their ability together with partners to protect children."

Mrs Shoesmith also insisted there was no evidence requiring anyone to resign or be sacked over their involvement in the Baby P case.

Instead, two social workers and a lawyer received formal written warnings.

While refusing to criticise any individual professionals involved in the tragedy, Mr Balls has emphasised the need for "accountability" where there are failures.

He said an independent Serious Case Review had raised "serious concerns" about the wider management of child protection services in Haringey in north London.

Mr Balls has appointed John Coughlan, director of children's services in Hampshire, to work alongside Mrs Shoesmith to ensure proper procedures for safeguarding children are in place during the inquiry.

He may ask the inspectors - from Ofsted, the Healthcare Commission and the Chief Inspector of Constabulary - to investigate particular issues at Haringey in more detail.

Haringey is the same council which was severely criticised for failing to prevent the murder of eight-year-old Victoria Climbie in 2000.

Baby P - who cannot be named for legal reasons - was 17 months old when he died in a blood-splattered cot in August last year.

He had suffered more than 50 injuries at the hands of his abusive mother, 27, her boyfriend, 32, and their lodger, Jason Owen, 36, despite 60 contacts with the authorities over eight months.

A judge has warned the trio they are facing "substantial" terms in prison when they are sentenced at the Old Bailey next spring.