School and duty of care

I was please with the open evening my wife and I attended the other night for our son's new school. All very professionally done. I do confess to feeling a little like a school kid myself. I might have had something to do with the tiny chairs we had to sit on and the classic classroom layout. The teachers there all see very friendly and passionate about what they do. I do always look for passion in people's work. It's all very well doing what you do to earn a living but when it comes to teaching and being responsible for vulnerable young children, then I look for something extra. I'm glad to say this was evident in what I saw and heard. The school is very small and therefore very focused on devoting as much time as possible to each and every pupil. It was pleasing to see the range of subjects he will be taught along with an impressive array of computers and audio-visual aids.  There are many after-school activities such as gardening club and games evening that I'm sure our son will want to get involved with. Every other Monday the school take the children swimming and there are regular trips to places of interest. Lunches are prepared by a well-known local catering company renowned for their excellent food. In fact it's so good, I may even join our son for lunch!
So we came away feeling quite confident about everything. It's a big thing when you leave your son and daughter in someone else's care and I confess to still feeling a twinge of sadness whenever he's away from us.
He starts attending reception days from 6th June until 20th June and will begin school properly in September.

Duty of care is an enormous responsibility and hugely important. Head of social services for any organisation carries with it the responsibility and accountability for your actions and the actions of your staff and all those who report to you. I therefore find it quite unbelievable that we are now being asked to feel sorry for Sharon Shoesmith and dismiss the death of 'Baby P'. It's all very well her saying she's 'not in the blame game', but I'm sorry, am I missing something? There has to be blame. A child you were paid a huge amount of money to ensure the safety of died needlessly. This is despite countless visits and knowing that the child was living in an 'at risk' environment. The attitude of this woman is simply unbelievable. What makes me so angry is the fact that she is now trying to be the person 'hard done by' and the victim of ill treatment. Excuse me but if anyone should be complaining it's 'Baby P' who has lost everything. He never had a chance to make his mark on the World.
You disgust me Sharon Shoesmith. How dare you absolve yourself of any blame. I hear the government object to the ruling of unfair dismissal. Good - I hope they find a way to bring you and your team to justice. Your job was to prevent harm to a vulnerable child. In my view, you failed in the worst way possible.  Surely that has to be wrong...?

OK, I'm glad I got that off my chest...