Serious case review into toddler's death catalogues a series of failures

More than 10 social workers and health workers have been sacked or resigned over the death of a two-year-old boy who was killed by his mother.

Keanu Williams died in 2011.

Social workers, health workers and police were all criticised today in a serious case review report.

The head of children's social care in Birmingham admitted today that he can not protect children in the city.

He was speaking at the publication of a report into the death of two-year-old Keanu Williams who was beaten to death by his mother in 2011.

Keanu Williams died in 2011. His mother, Rebecca Shuttleworth, from Birmingham, was jailed for his murder.

A serious case review report out today catalogues a series of failures. Staff did not follow the correct procedures in handling the case.

Jane Held, the report's author, said more than 10 social workers and health workers have been sacked or resigned. She admitted that Birmingham's children services are still not performing properly and some children in Birmingham are not safe enough.

When Rebecca Shuttleworth was living in Torbay she became pregnant with Keanu. Health visitors, the probation service and Birmingham council - who knew Rebecca because she had been in care - contacted Children's Services in Torbay but they only allocated a qualified social work student to the case.

Rebecca gave birth to Keanu and social workers thought she was living in supported care with him but in fact she had left and moved back to Birmingham.

The first missed opportunity was when Keanu's nursery contacted a health visitor saying that Keanu had many bruises. The health worker and the nursery manager agreed to refer the case to social workers. But the nursery manager changed her mind after speaking to a family support worker. The report said this was a significant failure.

The second missed opportunity was when Keanu was taken to hospital again two days later with bruises to his arms, back, feet, eyes and burns to his right foot. This was the fourth time he had been taken to A & E since June 2010.

The hospital told the duty social workers and police. The police and a social worker visited the house the next day but there was no consultation between Children's Social Care, the GP, the Health Visitor the Family Support worker or the nursery about Keanu's history. The social worker referred the police back to the information from the the nursery in October and November saying that there were no concerns.

The report said: This was not only a missed opportunity but a significant failure by all the agencies involved to act to protect Keanu.