Call for social worker bodycams follows murder of Arthur
A PETITION asking for all social workers to wear bodycams during home visits has been launched in memory of tragic Arthur LabinjoHughes.
Arthur’s Angels Charitable Trust has set up the petition on change.org and it has already received over 1,000 signatures.
Little Arthur, aged six, suffered shocking abuse at the home he shared with his brutal father, Thomas Hughes, and stepmother, Emma Tustin, in Cranmore Road, Shirley. Tustin was jailed for life and will serve at least 29 years, after she was convicted of murder.
Hughes will serve at least 21 years following his conviction for manslaughter. Both were also convicted of child cruelty offences.
Those minimum terms have been referred to the Court of Appeal by Attorney General Suella Braverman as “unduly lenient”.
The petition demands body cameras be made mandatory for all social workers on home visits to help “spot unseen dangers to the child.”
It said: “After the tragic event of Arthur losing his life, we have set up a charitable trust in Arthur’s name to help make a change and try to stop this happening again.
“Arthur’s Angels Charitable Trust are making a petition to bring change to have cases reviewed from just home visits done by one social worker.
“We believe with the help of body cams more reviews can be done and less children may go unseen.”
It added: “We believe that all social workers should be issued with body cameras on all home visits so the visit can be reviewed to spot any unseen dangers to the child and the appearance of the child.
“Home visits from social services is the most crucial time to save a child in danger. Most visits are announced so many things can be covered up and in the visit small details can be missed or overlooked.
“With the help of body cams the visit can be looked at again from a different angle to spot things not seen by a social worker on a visit.”
Arthur’s grandmother had previously called on social workers to wear bodycams.
Madeline Halcrow spoke after a report into the state of safeguarding in Solihull found children in need of help and protection are waiting too long to be assessed. The findings of the probe said “urgent action” was needed.