Director axed in Baby P case after damning report

London: The social services chief who refused to quit over Baby P last month was sacked on Monday afternoon by Children's Minister Ed Balls.

Sharon Shoesmith was stripped of her $150,484 (Dh552,734)-a-year post after a "devastating" report found she had failed in her statutory duty to protect children.

The council's Labour leader George Meehan and cabinet member for children Liz Santry both quit.

Shoesmith was removed from her post as Haringey council children's director when Balls used legal powers to intervene directly.

He acted swiftly after he received a new inspectors' report into Haringey's handling of the Baby P case and its wider failures to serve children and parents.

The 17-month-old boy died in his cot at his north London home last year after suffering abuse and neglect at the hands of his mother and two men.

Monday's report, by Ofsted, the Healthcare Commission and Inspectorate of Constabulary, found a catalogue of failings from the front-line to management.

It also found that hospitals, police and even inspectors themselves had all failed to review properly the death of Baby P.

Balls refused to grant a new public inquiry into the case, claiming that he wanted "to act now" rather than wait for a lengthy new investigation.

But the minister did announce that every council would now have to learn the lessons of the tragedy and all NHS trusts will be asked to review their child protection policies.

Under rarely-used powers, Balls directed the council to remove Shoesmith and install Hampshire county council's director of children's services, John Coughlan, in her place.

Coughlan was seconded to Haringey last month to oversee children's services in the wake of the Baby P trial.

A new chair of the council's safeguarding board, which was meant to scrutinise its staff, was also appointed. Graham Badman will start work next week on a brand new "serious case review" of the toddler's case.

Balls the council failed to allow children suspected of being abused to give evidence on their own in private. It was crucial that they be "properly heard and able to speak up without fear", he said.