In a speech to the IPPR think tank last week, the Education Secretary, Michael Gove, spoke about the terrible delays that routinely take place before children facing abuse or neglect are taken into care. He also spoke about, what is perhaps an even worse scandal, the children then being returned, often repeatedly to their families, despite the likelihood of facing still more abuse or neglect.
The social workers generally wouldn't recognise this as a scandal because it is within the rules and happens routinely. To my mind, that it is a frequent and deliberate arrangement, rather than an occaisional lapse makes the scandal far worse.
Mr Gove said:
The state is currently failing in its duty to keep our children safe.
It may seem hard to believe - after the killing of Victoria Climbie, after the torture of Peter Connelly, after the cruel death of Khyra Ishaq – surely as a society, as a state, we must have got the message.
But, I fear, we haven't.
We are not asking the tough questions, and taking the necessary actions, to prevent thousands of children growing up in squalor, enduring neglect in their infancy, witnessing violence throughout their lives and being exposed to emotional, physical and sexual abuse during the years which should be their happiest.
The facts are deeply depressing.
Too many local authorities are failing to meet acceptable standards for child safeguarding.
Too many children are left for far too long in homes where they are exposed to appalling neglect and criminal mistreatment.
We put the rights of biological parents ahead of vulnerable children - even when those parents are incapable of leading their own lives safely and with dignity never mind bringing up children.
When we do intervene it is often too late.
When children are removed from homes where they're at risk they're often returned prematurely and exposed to danger all over again.