Ofsted apologizes ‘unreservedly’ for error in Baby P case

November 10, 2009 by Shawn Douglas
Filed under: News

Ofsted has apologized to the court for its ‘deeply regrettable error’ of failing to disclose an inspection report and other documents related to the Baby P case.

Childcare regulator Ofsted’s failure to provide potentially key evidence to the High Court will likely delay judgment of the Sharon Shoesmith case until the end of the year or later said Justice Foskett earlier today.

Originally set to deliver a judgment on Friday, Justice Foskett called a special hearing upon learning that Shoesmith’s legal team produced anticipated evidence through a Freedom of Information Act request. The team had been previously told that the evidence — a 70-page notebook, assorted e-mails and early drafts of the inspection report — did not exist.

Sharon Shoesmith was sacked in December

Justice Foskett demanded “chapter and verse” on why the evidence had not been previously provided.

“Unfortunately mistakes sometimes happen and whilst this is a serious one and deeply regrettable, we have nothing to hide,” said Ofsted in a statement.

James Maurici, appearing on the behalf of Shoesmith, was very concerned about the “very serious failings on the part of Ofsted in relation to its duty of candor and its response to our requests for further information”.

Maurici added: “They must have known these things existed. It is very worrying this has transpired.”

Shoesmith was fired from her position as children’s services chief last December after a report condemned the department for its handling of the Baby P case.

Justice Foskett ordered Ofsted to pay for both the hearing costs and the cost of Shoesmith’s legal team to sift through the new evidence to determine its relevance.