Social workers under scrutiny over baby's death

London: The organisation that regulates social workers yesterday said it would look into the actions of staff involved in the case of Baby P, the toddler who died of horrific injuries despite being on an "at risk" register.

The General Social Care Council (GSCC) said it would examine the actions of social workers at Haringey Council in London whose failure to prevent the death of the 17-month-old baby boy has led to widespread calls for heads to roll.

Schools Secretary Ed Balls has already ordered an independent inquiry into the care of children in Haringey after a report by the council found a number of failings of practice and management over the case.

It was the second serious child welfare tragedy in Haringey in recent years following the murder of eight-year-old Victoria Climbie by her guardians in 2000.

"We are conducting our own preliminary enquiries to establish whether the circumstances have any bearing on the suitability of individual social workers to remain on the register," said Rosie Varley, the GSCC's chief executive.

"All registered social workers are required to meet the highest standards of care and abide by our code of practice, to which they are held accountable."

The GSCC inquiries follow Balls' announcement on Wednesday that the schools inspectorate Ofsted, the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection, and the Chief Inspector of Constabulary would review Baby P's case.

In addition, the director of children's services in Hampshire is to be seconded to work alongside his equivalent in Haringey to ensure proper children's procedures are in place.

"Having studied the report, there is clear evidence that each agency has singly and collectively failed to adhere to the procedures for the proper management of child protection cases," said Balls.

Baby P had endured repeated beatings, one which caused a broken back, before he was killed in August last year.

Officials said the toddler had been used as a "punch bag", had more than 40 injuries, and looked like a car crash victim by the time of his death.

His mother, her boyfriend and lodger Jason Owen, 36, have all been convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child.

In the run-up to his death, the baby had been seen 60 times by doctors and social workers but no action was taken because they said the mother had concealed the truth from them.

Court order: Toddlers murdered

A woman arrested on suspicion of murder after a 3-month-old baby and a toddler were found dead at a house in Manchester, has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act, police said yesterday.

Detectives said the bodies of baby Delayno Mullings-Sewell and his two-year-old brother Romario were found after officers were called to the house in the Cheetham Hill area in the north of the city shortly before 6pm on Wednesday.

A 21-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of their murder but was sectioned. Detectives gave no details about the murder but the Manchester Evening News reported that they had been stabbed.