Alfie Steele: MPs critical of safeguarding authorities' response

Alfie Steele died after being held under water as punishment

Two MPs have called for greater accountability for the authorities involved in the case of Alfie Steele.

A safeguarding review into the nine-year-old's death at the hands of his mother and her partner showed serious failings from agencies.

More than 60 complaints were made to police and social services about the safety of the child.

"What I struggle with is the comment we keep hearing, 'we've learned lessons,'" said Wyre Forest MP Mark Garnier.

The Conservative MP said: "How many times do we need to learn the same lesson before we can protect children?"

He explained that he would be studying the review, adding: "We need to look very carefully at this to see if anyone should be held to account".

Paulette Hamilton described nine-year-old Alfie Steele's death as "harrowing"

Labour MP Paulette Hamilton said that nine-year-old Alfie would still be alive if "people had just done their job" and his child protection plan was followed.

"You kept seeing, across the report, they did safe and well checks, but didn't go to the house," she said.

"As a nurse and somebody who has worked in the public sector we have got to now - just as if nurses do something wrong, we can be held to account and be prosecuted - we have got to start doing something in this area".

Alfie died after "sadistic" punishments by his mother and her partner in 2021.

Eight recommendations for agencies were made in the report, which found there were many incidents of concern in Alfie's case, but were all treated in isolation from each other.

Steve Eccleston, independent chair of Worcestershire Safeguarding Children's Partnership, said: "Aspects of our response to Alfie, both as a single agency and collectively, fell short of what Alfie needed and what Alfie deserved.

"For that, I would like to apologise."

"I'm fed up of hearing we will 'learn for the future' and 'apologise,'" Ms Hamilton said.

Alfie's death had upset her, she said, because cases like his "just keep happening".

Alfie Steele loved sport and would watch Worcester Warriors and Arsenal with his grandfather

Alfie had been subjected to months of abuse before he was held under bath water at his home in Droitwich, Worcestershire.

"There was so many people crying out to the police and social services and nobody acted upon it," Ms Hamilton said.

The MP for Birmingham Erdington described Alfie's death as "harrowing".

"Our next generation are dying out there because no-one can advocate for them, the way they need to be advocated for," she added.