'Incompetence'
Baby Peter 'was failed by all agencies'
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Baby Peter's "horrifying death" was down to the incompetence of almost every member of staff who came into contact with him, official reports say.
Peter Connelly died in August 2007 at home in Haringey, north London, after months of abuse.
Details of his case, just published, reveal the incompetence of social workers, doctors, lawyers and police.
His mother, her boyfriend and a lodger were jailed last year for causing or allowing Peter's death.
The 17-month-old boy had suffered more than 50 injuries, and had been visited 60 times by the authorities in the eight months before his death.
Publishing the serious case review into Peter's death in full for the first time, Children's Minister Tim Loughton said he hoped it would bring "closure" to the case.
The report said: "In this case, the practice of the majority, both individually and collectively... was incompetent."
"Their approach was completely inadequate and did not meet the challenge of the case," it continued.
The report said that his "horrifying death could and should have been prevented".
If the correct approach had been taken, the situation would have been "stopped in its tracks at the first serious incident".
The report sets out how various agencies failed to realise that Stephen Barker, the violent boyfriend of Peter's mother Tracey Connelly, was living at the family home and might have been abusing Peter.
She had apparently declared him as next of kin on an official form, but authorities still failed to realise he was living with her.
There was a failure to establish his identity, interview him and check on his background.
The report said: "There was a readiness and a willingness to believe Ms A's (Tracey Connelly) account of herself, her care of her children, the composition of her household and the nature of her friendship networks."
'Bringing closure'
The publication of this previously secret report follows on from a Conservative and Liberal Democrat pledge to do so.
Mr Loughton said there had been "multiple failings" in the case. He said publishing the serious case review was not about a "blame game" but about achieving "greater transparency in child protection".
"It's also about trying to achieve a degree of closure. It would be in everyone's interest - the families and the professionals involved - if we can learn lessons, find closure and move on."
Graham Badman, author of the report and now chair of Haringey's children's safeguarding board, said the case contained many lessons for child protection agencies around the country, but said the tragic case had brought improvements in children's services.
"If Peter Connelly is to have any legacy at all it's that children are safer," he added.
This report is the second review into the case of the toddler.
The first review was an internal investigation completed by Haringey Social Services. Snippets of this report had been released, but it was later found to be "inadequate" by government inspectors - so a second one was undertaken.
Parts of that report, the executive summary and conclusion, had already been published and it revealed there were six opportunities to save the toddler' s life.
(Published by BBC – October 26, 2010)