Haringey revamps social care after email backlog

The Labour-run council says the changes it has made mean there are "clearer lines of accountability"

A north London council has brought in new social care leadership after it was revealed more than 1,000 emails had been left unread.

Haringey Council received a safeguarding complaint from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman in October.

An investigation found about 1,100 emails were left unopened in the council's social work inbox between 2019 and 2023, including 500 police reports.

Lucia Das Neves, the Labour-run council's cabinet member for health, social care and wellbeing, said there were "clearer lines of accountability" following the changes.

'Stronger oversight'

Ms Das Neves set out an action plan at a cabinet meeting on 11 November.

She said: "We now have a whole new management team in place, we've made substantial improvements to how we work, there are clearer lines of accountability, stronger oversight, and internal structures have been strengthened, especially around that receipt of incoming queries and emails."

The council said it now aimed to triage safeguarding referrals within 48 hours and has commissioned an external review to give some "independent assurance" the council is "being effective and doing the right things".

According to the council, senior management was made aware of the backlog in early 2024.

'Behind closed doors'

Luke Cawley-Harrison, a Liberal Democrat and leader of the opposition on Haringey Council, asked why the backlog had been "kept behind closed doors", adding it "did not lead to a transparent council".

Ms Das Neves agreed that the backlog was unacceptable but denied the council had been "keeping it a secret".

Sara Sutton, corporate director for adults, housing, and health, explained that police reports would be ranked red, amber or green on the basis of risk.

She added that the council did not have any outstanding reports at the moment.

Peter Connelly's death exposed "the incompetence of almost every member of staff who came into contact with him"

Haringey Council previously came under heavy criticism in 2007 following the death of a child, known as Baby P.

An official report into his death was released in 2010, which said the case exposed "the incompetence of almost every member of staff who came into contact with him".

Peter Connelly died in August 2007 at home after months of abuse.

The 17-month-old boy had sustained more than 50 injuries and was visited by authorities 60 times in the eight months leading up to his death.

His mother, her boyfriend and a lodger were jailed for causing or allowing Peter's death.