A missed opportunity before a girl is killed by her mother’s partner

There was a “missed opportunity” to intervene before a toddler was murdered by her mother’s boyfriend, a review has found.

Pembrokeshire council’s children’s services were “overstretched and morally low” before the death of two-year-old Lola James, a children’s practice review said.

Little boy died of a “catastrophic” brain injury in July 2020 after being attacked by Kyle Bevan at the family home.

Pembrokeshire Council said it takes its safeguarding duties “very seriously” and has drawn up an action plan.

Child practice reviews are conducted when child abuse or neglect is known or suspected and the child dies or suffers serious harm.

It looks at the role of several agencies and bodies.

Kyle Bevan, 31, was jailed for life in April 2023 for murdering Lola, while her mother Sinead James, 30, was jailed for six years for causing or allowing her daughter to die at their home in Haverfordwest.

Lola was left with 101 injuries on her body and Bevan tried to convince the jury that she had fallen down the stairs after tripping over the family dog.

Report, commissioned by CysurShelter for central and west Wales, covering a period of 17 months until his death.

It outlines seven “learning points” for participating agencies and 11 action points.

Lola’s evaluation by children’s services in March 2020 “lacked detail and analysis”, partly because her social worker was sick.

The team leader admitted that the assessment team was “struggling under the pressure of a constant workload”.

The last home visit by a health visitor was on 15 February 2020, five and a half months before his death.

Sinead James repeatedly refused visits, including two days before Lola’s murder, when she was on the phone with the team.

Welsh government guidance at the time said health visitors should prioritize direct contact with vulnerable families with concerns, but the report said James’ decision was “not challenged or investigated” by health visitors.

Independent reviewer Emma Sutton concluded that health visitors could take “further steps to get approval for home visits”, calling it a “missed opportunity”.

The home visit may reveal “about the condition of the home” and be an opportunity to see if Bevan lives there.

The Hywel Dda health board said during an inspection that health visitors at the time had an average load of 250 children and there was a shortage of staff and sick due to Covid.

There is also a lack of “information sharing” between agencies.

Lola’s sister tells her teacher about life at home, but there is no “ability to share sibling information between educational settings”.

Bevan was known to the police after a domestic incident involving his mother, as well as substance abuse.

He made a report to the police in June 2020 that threatening letters had been sent to James’ home and that Dyfed-Powys Police knew there was a minor living there, but “the point was not joined by the police” and no referral was made. for social service.

Ms Sutton said it was important there were “adequate levels of staffing and resources” and that the children’s services assessment team was able to “respond and meet their safeguarding responsibilities”.

The report said several requests were made for more resources to be allocated over several years, “including for the recruitment and retention of social workers”.

But it adds that the current situation is “more positive”, with an additional £611,640 available in June and July 2024.

It is suggested that professionals should be encouraged to ask “questions about the family” and not just accept what they are told.

Police should also establish a “flag mechanism” for certain addresses where there is a greater history of maintaining concerns.

Cysur said the report would “contribute to wider learning and improvement on a number of key issues across all agencies with custodial responsibilities”.

The council’s cabinet member for social care, Tessa Hodgson, said safeguarding was the authority’s “top priority” and an action plan had been developed to address the issues in the review.