Climbie inquiry orders investigation over 'children put at risk by council'

The chairman of the Victoria Climbie inquiry ordered an urgent investigation on Thursday into claims that young children were being put at risk by a local authority.

Brent Council's social services department had been accused of putting unaccompanied children into bed-and-breakfast accommodation, prematurely closing case files and turning away children in need.

The inquiry was set up to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of eight-year-old Victoria. She died at a flat in Tottenham, north London, after enduring months of agony at the hands of her great-aunt Marie Therese Kouao, 45, and her boyfriend Carl Manning, 28. They were jailed for life for murder in January.

Edward Armstrong, a social services manager at the north London council who is currently suspended, made the accusations that prompted the call for an investigation by the chairman, Lord Laming.

The chairman said: "I have no reason to know whether or not those practices that he referred to are current today but if they are it would potentially expose some young people to undue risk." Lord Laming asked the barrister for Brent Council, David Turner QC, to "make some inquiries".

Earlier in the inquiry, Mr Armstrong made a series of allegations against the council. He said: "There were unaccompanied minors coming from Kosovo and we were told that they were not priority cases and we could place them in bed and breakfasts. I am talking about 13 and 14-year-olds."

He also explained how one young girl was turned away by the social services department. "Basically, I was told, 'close the case and tell her to go to her sister', who was living in another borough," he said.

Mr Armstrong also agreed that he was concerned he was being asked to close cases which should have remained open. He said a social services inspectorate visit had prompted senior management to ask for cases to be closed.

Brent Council had dealings in the Climbie case with other London borough councils in Ealing and Haringey.