Social workers have been criticised unnecessarily for their treatment of Baby P, says Kingston University Professor of Social Work, Dr Ray Jones.

Dr Jones has been drafted in by Sky News, BBC, The Guardian and other national media organisations to offer expert opinion about the social work practice implications of the case as they have unfolded. 

Jones has said that the “tremendous commitment social workers at the front line” have to helping other people has been ignored by the media. 

Talking to RiverOnline about the days that tragically led to the 17 month olds’ death, Jones said: “Baby P was served by the workers well. His life only changed dramatically when family life changed”. 

The events leading up to Baby P’s death saw his mother leaving her husband and becoming involved with a new boyfriend, who has now been convicted over the case. 

He also dismisses calls for a shake up of the social services which ignores the dedication of social workers.  “It is not the most sensible time to decide what to do with social service, due to pressure from the media and all the disruption going on. The difficulty is anticipating where the Baby P’s of the future are among all the children that social workers are working with”.

The number of applications for children to be taken into care in England has risen by 26% in the 10 days after the trial in comparison to the same period last year, government agency Cafcass said, sparking fears of a nanny state in social services.

To prevent another tragedy like Baby P's, Jones said: "Professionals need to keep each other informed about what's happening and they need to be inquiring, inquisitive, investigative and imaginative... really pushing to get more knowledge."

Jones believes Baby P is not alone in this tragedy with many other cases going unnoticed. Of the 29,200 under the child protection register, one child in six will die in the hands of its parents.  

On November 11, Jason Owen, 36, from Bromley, and the 32-year-old boyfriend of the boy's mother were found guilty of causing the death of Baby P. The boy's mother had pleaded guilty to the same charge.