SOCIAL services are undertaking a massive review of its operations in Buckinghamshire in light of the shocking case of Baby P.

Buckinghamshire County Council is reviewing its social services department after spotlight was thrown on councils following the death of the toddler.

Baby P died after months of abuse despite 60 visits from health and social service professionals.

Social services chief Lin Hazell said she expected the review to hail the work of its department – but warned the Baby P case had put extra pressure on staff.

She said: “We decided to review and re-audit what is going on, in particular nought to five-year-olds, that is where the concerns are.”

Cllr Hazell, cabinet member for children, families and social care, added: “I am confident we will establish that our working practices are safe and secure.

“But you can never say never.”

Recruiting social workers in Buckinghamshire was “always a struggle” she said because of the cost of living in the county.

And she said the case had made the situation even worse.

Cllr Hazell said: “The more and more negative press social workers have the more demoralised they become.”

She added: “More and more social workers will steer away from child protection and go into safer forms of social work.”

This included childcare, she said.

There has been concerns that the Baby P case has seen an increase in referrals to councils as staff feel under pressure to not miss potential abuse.

Yet Cllr Hazell said this had not happened in Buckinghamshire.

Her comments came after councillors united to praise social workers as the storm broke over the death of the child, in the London borough of Haringey (see link, right).