After four long years of relentless pursuit, we finally received a verdict in the tragic case of my beautiful nephew Ethan Ives-Griffiths – a bright, innocent two-year-old boy who was taken from us far too soon. Ethan died in August 2021 after suffering a catastrophic head injury at the home of his maternal grandparents in Wales.

These were people who should have cherished and protected him. Instead, his grandfather and grandmother were found guilty of his murder. Ethan’s own mother was also convicted of causing or allowing the death of a child and cruelty to a child. She stood by while her son suffered - failing in her duty to protect him during the most vulnerable time of his life.

When Ethan was found, he was severely malnourished, covered in bruises, and had sustained a traumatic head injury. He was later pronounced brain dead. The level of neglect and cruelty he endured is beyond words. While justice has finally been served, and Ethan’s soul can now rest in peace, the grief and loss our family feels will never fade.

What makes this even harder is that Ethan was known to social services. The court heard that he had been placed on the child protection register, which meant he was supposed to be seen every 10 days. A visit was booked for 5 August, but when the social worker arrived, they were turned away at the door and told the household was isolating due to Covid, and that Ethan was asleep. In the days before his death, a social worker attempted to visit again, but no one answered the door. A scheduled health visitor appointment on 13 August, just three days before
Ethan died, was also cancelled.

Ethan didn’t slip through the cracks, he was failed by a system that wasn’t built to respond when access is denied or when a child is in danger behind closed doors.

That’s why I’m calling for Ethan’s Law to bring about the urgent reforms needed in child protection. Right now, social workers can carry out home visits without a warrant, but if they are refused entry (as they were in Ethan’s case) they have no power to escalate it unless the situation appears visibly urgent. We believe that must change. If entry is denied, the visit should automatically be escalated to the police for a welfare check. If this step is not taken, social workers must be held accountable for failing to follow protocol, especially when a child is already on the protection register.

We’re also calling for increased frequency of checks. For children on the register, visits should take place every 5-7 days, not every 10. For children not yet on the register but known to services, we’re urging for checks every 4-6 weeks by health professionals such as health visitors or GPs. Regular, thorough monitoring of vulnerable children can help identify danger sooner, intervene earlier, and ultimately save lives.

We couldn’t save Ethan but we can honour him by making sure this never happens again.

Please sign and share this petition in support of Ethan’s Law. Together, we can demand accountability, close dangerous loopholes, and help protect children who cannot protect themselves. Your voice can make a difference for Ethan, and for every child still at risk.