Northamptonshire authorities say they owe it to four-week-old baby to learn from mistakes highlighted in report into death

Northamptonshire authorities involved in safeguarding procedures have said they owe it to a four-week-old baby who died to learn from the mistakes highlighted in a report.

Both the Children’s Trust and North Northamptonshire Council have accepted the findings of the independent report, which was published on March 8 by The Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Partnership.

The report looked into the death of Child Ba who died in June 2020 after a co-sleeping incident with their mother. The report found that the mother was “intoxicated through alcohol and had taken cocaine”. Four days before the fatal incident a safeguarding plan was “stepped down” and a safeguarding concern from paramedics was not shared with the relevant authorities until after the baby’s death, the report also found. Read more about the report’s findings here.

The trust was only established in November 2020 – after the death of Child Ba – but in a statement its chairman said it has adopted guidance to ensure that risks from family members are taken into account.

Julian Wooster the trust’s chairman, said: “This is an incredibly upsetting case, and we owe it to this baby, to ensure that the learnings from this report are put into practice. We accept the findings of the report and have supported the public health safer sleeping campaign to highlight the risks and dangers of co-sleeping.

“The Children’s Trust have also adopted the ‘signs of safety model of practice’, which ensures that all risks and dangers from any family member are considered.

“Whilst this very sad incident happened before the time of local Government reform and the establishment of the trust, as an organisation it is our priority to take all steps to ensure that we support and safeguard children, working alongside our partners.”

At the time of the incident Northamptonshire’s children’s services were rated as inadequate, but they have since been graded requires improvement.

Councillor Scott Edwards, North Northamptonshire Council’s executive member for children, families, education and skills, said: “This is a tremendously sad case - Child Ba was only a few weeks old when they died at the beginning of June 2020.

“The report has highlighted learning that can be adopted to make processes more robust and make children safer now and in the future and we unreservedly accept the findings of this report.

“While the period of time was before local Government reorganisation took place in the county and the formation of North Northamptonshire Council, we recognise it is now our duty to work with partners to continue to act on recommendations outlined.

“Already we have led on a public health campaign to outline the very real dangers of co-sleeping and highlight some of the risks. It is our mission to work with all of our partners to make sure that every child is as safe as they can be and we will work tirelessly to this end.”

Four recommendations were made including ensuring all professionals have a better understanding of the impact of parental alcohol misuse on children, the re-launch of the county’s Safer Sleeping campaign, checking that step down procedures are working “robustly” and considering what needs to be put in place to support grandparents, and family members.

Read the full report here.