Wirral council to launch a major review after murder of four-year-old Chloe Fletcher

May 13 2009 by Kevin Core, Heswall News

A MAJOR review is being launched after the alleged murder of Chloe Fletcher at her family home.

Wirral Council has confirmed that the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) has commissioned a “Serious Case Review”, which will investigate all the agencies who had a caring role in Chloe’s upbringing.

The four-year-old was found dead in her Oakdale Avenue home, in Wallasey, after a phone call was made to police in the early hours of Wednesday, April 29.

Her mother Laura Fletcher, 22, has been charged with murder and will appear at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, May 21.

The aim of the review will be to advise the council and its partners on lessons that should be learned.

The last Serious Case Review in Wirral was into the circumstances surrounding the care of Jamie Smith, who was convicted of the murder of Birkenhead’s Stephen Croft.

After a vicious attack Mr Croft’s body was left on a bonfire near the town’s YMCA building.

The review found that opportunities to assess his risk to the public were missed and that poor record keeping had led to bad communication.

The results of the latest review will not be known until the criminal proceedings surrounding Chloe’s death are complete.

A spokeswoman said: “The LSCB would like to take this opportunity to publicly express its deepest condolences to the family of Chloe Fletcher and everyone who knew her.

“Chloe and her family were known to a number of agencies, and the LSCB has commissioned a Serious Case Review in response to Chloe’s death.

“The review will establish whether there are any lessons to be learned about the way local professionals and agencies have worked together in dealing with Chloe’s case, and – if there are – identify what is expected to change as a result.

“It will look at the extent of all agencies' involvement in Chloe’s life and whether interventions reflected good standards of practice. It will be independently chaired and authored.”

Speaking in his capacity as chairman of Wirral LSCB, Howard Cooper, director of Wirral children and young people’s department, said: “The death of a child is always a tragedy, but the case of little Chloe is especially poignant, and has touched us all, especially those who worked with the family.

“All the organisations involved welcome the need for a Serious Case Review and are committed to co-operating fully with it.”