Susanna Reid and Martin Lewis hosted Tuesday’s episode of Good Morning Britain and a big news topic of the day was the murder of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes. The presenting duo welcomed social worker and safeguarding consultant Joanna Nicolas onto the programme to discuss the heartbreaking news story. Susanna clashed with Joanna while questioning why Arthur wasn’t removed from the care or his abusers despite multiple family members raising concerns.
Susanna said: “Perhaps you as an experienced social worker can explain, how a social worker cannot once they’ve been told there are concerns by a member or members of the family, why they are not going into the house, removing the child and saying ‘We have been told of concerns about this child, we’re going to work out what to do to make him safe before we’re sure that he can be with you?’
“I know why it’s not that simple, but I think a lot of people would think ‘Why isn’t it that simple?’
“Because if that child had been taken out of that home, frankly Joanna we can all agree he would not have died,” the presenter fumed.
Joanna replied: “Susanna, as you know, first of all, social workers don’t have the power to do that, quite rightly.
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“So, they can’t do that…” she explained, before being interrupted by Susanna.
The presenter questioned: “Okay, so should they call the police immediately once that concern has been raised?
“I mean, we’re looking at a situation here Joanna where a six-year-old boy was tortured over a period of months and died at the hands of those who were trying to protect him.
“As you’ve already said we know what the report will say. The report will say ‘agencies need to work better together to make sure this doesn’t happen again,’” Susanna said.
Martin added: “Because it’s said it in so many other reports in the past.”
“Why can social workers not be given more powers to do what they needed to do in this situation?” Susanna asked.
“Because what social workers and all the other agencies are doing is assessing risk,” Joanna explained.
More to follow…
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