Pubdate: Wed, 20 Mar 2002
Source: Herald, The (UK)
Copyright: 2002 The Herald
Contact:  http://www.theherald.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/189
Author: Cameron Simpson

BABY MURDER HIGHLIGHTS ADDICT THREAT

Resources Plea To Protect Children

THE head of the Glasgow children's panel called last night for more 
resources to protect children from the threat of abuse by parents who 
are drug addicts.

The call by Marian Pagani follows the case of Mark Connelly, a drug 
addict who starved and beat his lover's 33-month-old son before 
leaving him to die in a freezing room.

The High Court in Glasgow heard that Scott Saunders was a beautiful, 
well-nourished child who was turned into a living skeleton in just 
five weeks by his mother, Cheryl Hanson, 24, and Connelly, 29. The 
child died at his home at Galloway Drive, Rutherglen in March 2000.

Ms Pagani said there was a need sometimes for intervention and taking 
children away from parents with drug problems.

However, she added: "We need to be sure that more resources are 
available for social work departments and voluntary organisations to 
protect children. There are resources there at the moment, but they 
are stretched."

Ms Pagani's call follows exclusive revelations in The Herald last 
month that up to 30% of Glasgow children identified at risk by the 
children's hearing system have not been allocated to social workers 
for further investigation and monitoring.

Council statistics indicate that, out of 2384 children placed under 
supervision orders for reasons ranging from parental abuse to truant, 
at least 300 are unsupervised by the council's social work department.

It is believed an additional 400 children have had their names put on 
a council computer system, but are not being supervised by a key 
worker with personal responsibility for their welfare.

The crisis arises at a time when cases of parental neglect and 
cruelty have mushroomed. Referrals to the children's panel under the 
category of lack of parental care grew by 71% from 1999 to 2000, and 
a further rise is expected in figures out soon.

Ms Pagani said the law as it stood under the Children Scotland Act 
1995 made ample provision for taking children into care if they were 
assessed as being at risk.

"There should be holistic programmes for the whole family where 
children are affected by drug abuse. However, the question is whether 
the agencies could resource this," she said.

South Lanarkshire Council, the local social work authority, refused 
to field questions on whether it thought it had done enough to 
prevent Scott's premature death.

Sandy Cameron, the authority's executive director of social work, 
said only in a prepared statement: "This is a tragic example of how 
children's lives can be affected by drug-misusing adults. The council 
was not involved with Scott when he died."

Maxie Richards, who set up her own foundation in 1994 to help 
recovering drug addicts and their families, said more children were 
going to die in the same circumstances as Scott unless the Scottish 
Executive took more concerted action on drug addiction.

Last night, a spokesman for the executive said: "There is an issue of 
social worker shortages. We are taking steps to address this and next 
month will be announcing details of a recruitment campaign to bring 
people into the profession.

"Cathy Jamieson, minister for education and young people, with her 
social work background, is also bringing a personal commitment to 
help children."

He said the executive had also created a body to champion and oversee 
the social work profession and all social services staff. "The Social 
Services Council is established and beginning its work."

Connelly was facing a long jail sentence last night after being 
convicted of murder. Hanson, 24, who was also a drug addict when 
Scott died, is serving a nine-year sentence for culpable homicide.
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