YESTERDAY'S revelation that only 11 per cent of youngsters on Lancashire County Council's child protection register are seen every six weeks has raised questions over whether anything has been learnt from the deaths of three youngsters, all killed by their parents before they even made it on to the at risk list. DAVID HIGGERSON looks at the cases and hears that, despite the figures, LCC is getting better.

THE PROMISES have been made on several occasions.

After each of three baby deaths in Burnley, social services chiefs pledged to make sure that it would never happen again.

First there was Levi Rose.

Killed in 1996 by his parents Christopher Rose and Kelly Catlow, the five-month-old's death prompted an in-depth investigation into how it could have happened.

The couple, who had moved from Accrington to Cronkshaw Street, Burnley, were known to social services to be struggling to look after their son.

Jack Shackleton was killed by his father Glenn in 1999. Some 49 separate areas of bruising were found on the 16-month old.

Shackleton's children had been removed from their parents in the months leading up to Jack's death but had been returned to them.

His father was a drug addict and the case was known to social services. Burnley MP Peter Pike claimed the 'warning lights had been flashing' long before Jack's death and demanded action.

As a result of an inquiry by the Audit Commission, child protection managers were removed from their posts at County Hall.

Administration was poor, the report stated, and at least 13 cases were identified where children on the child protection register didn't even have named case workers. It was also suggested that the threshold for children being deemed at risk was too high.

Coun Doreen Pollitt, chairman of the social services committee pledged at a meeting: "There have been two deaths. God forbid it happens again."

Just 10 days later, still in March 2000, it did.

Four-month-old Emma Dyson was dumped in a Burnley canal by her mother, Rabina Hashim.

Hashim was known to be mentally disturbed. A court was told she had 'heard voices telling her to put the baby in the canal.'

A social services inquiry claimed care workers should have spotted the problems and acted.

They made five obvious mistakes which, had they not happened, could have led to Emma still being alive today.

Again, a pledge was made that action would be taken.

Now, more than a year on, new figures published have shown that just 11 per cent of the children on the Lancashire Child Protection Register are visited every six weeks by one of the county council's social workers, as is expected by the Government.

These are children at risk of sexual, physical or emotional abuse or neglect. Questions were raised after the three Burnley deaths about why the children weren't already on the register.

Both Burnley MP Peter Pike and Hyndburn member Greg Pope yesterday asked what is going on to improve the situation.

Coun Pollitt is now deputy leader of the county council.

After the deaths she promised that lessons would be learned, but refused to accept the contents of the Audit Commission report, claiming it was 'harsh' and 'negative.'

But in the light of the new figures, concerns have been raised that those on the register are now at risk.

She said things, including the administration problems, would be corrected.

Today, despite the fact that Pauline Oliver, director of social services, this week put the figures down to the fact that some paperwork had not been completed, Coun Pollitt is insistent that things have got better.

She said: "I am no longer the chairman of social services but as deputy leader I oversee all portfolios.

"Social services is still important to me because I believe things are getting better, and they are. We have learnt our lessons but acknowledge there is still room for improvement."

Listing the improvements she said: "We have installed new computers which make it easier to log dates of visits.

"It is my belief that most of the visits to children on the at risk register did take place but just weren't recorded correctly.

"After all, social workers would rather be out seeing the children than filling in paper work."

She said another improvement was staffing levels.

She added: "Part of the problem was that we did not have enough staff. Many more have have been recruited and that has made a big difference.

"We took a long look at the department in the wake of the reports and things have improved.

"It is my belief that things will improve further."

Coun Pollitt said: "I think many of the visits will have occurred a day or two late. But we have to hold our hands up and say that a line has to be drawn to compile these statistics and we need to adhere to that.

"There is more co-operation between agencies now.

"We are nearly there. Things will get a lot better. They have already got better because we accept that deaths are unacceptable."

The current councillor in charge of social services, Chris Cheetham, believes a different light will be cast on the figures next week, when the Social Services Inspectorate publishes its annual report.

The county already has a copy of the report but cannot give exact details of what is said. It compares the performances of all social services departments.

But Coun Cheetham said: "I think it will show that we are not doing that badly compared to other authorities.

"We can do better, we accept that. The whole department is under review so we can be better in the future."