CHILD protection agencies in Lancashire urgently need to get their act together to prevent a third tragedy similar to the Jack Shackleton and Levi Rose baby deaths in Burnley.

This frank admission was made by Lancashire social services committee chairman Doreen Pollitt following a damning report into the role of social workers into the care of tragic toddler Jack.

And today County Coun Pollitt said: "God forbid that this should ever happen again."

Georgina Shackleton, 23, of Sherwood Road, Blackburn, was jailed for a year last Friday at Preston Crown Court after admitting cruelty to Jack and his twin brother Adam.

Her husband Glenn Shackleton was last year jailed for seven years after he admitted the manslaughter of 16-month-old Jack and cruelty to Adam.

The review of the case outlined how baby Jack was failed by the system and recommended a string of improvements. But County Hall have said that social workers will not be disciplined.

They include Andrea Tattersall, whom Preston Crown Court heard had noted that Jack was "fine" just days before his death. The words "no concerns" also recurred through her reports, the court was told.

The review is similar to the damning report into the death of five-month-old Levi Rose, who was killed by his parents at their home in Cronkshaw Street, Burnley, in 1996. Christopher Rose, 20, and Kelly Catlow, 19, were sentenced to a total of six years and three-and-a-half years respectively in a young offenders institution for manslaughter and child cruelty offences. County Coun Pollitt said today: "We have to get better and work together much better. We need a system in place which is constantly checked to make sure all the agencies are working together in a coherent policy.

"The system clearly has to be put right so that it cannot happen again. This is the second case from Burnley and God forbid that it should ever happen again."

"The other thing that needs doing is with regard to the semi skilled or unskilled people who were involved in the care side of the case, by way of using people with more child minding skills and by providing more training in child care.

"These things can be put into place very quickly. The policy has already started to be changed."

County Coun Pollitt said the report had stated it was the system rather than individuals which had let down baby Jack.

Burnley MP Peter Pike said he was reasonably happy with the report, but was reserving judgement on whether to pursue his earlier call for a full inquiry.

He said: "There are several things I shall be going back to the Lancashire County Council on. I was told things in confidence and there were early warning signs which may not have been taken into account.

"I am not satisfied the report goes quite far enough although it accepts there were failings."

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