The quote in this update was said by Star Hobson's Great-Grandfather. The picture in this update is one that was shared with agencies and is in the public domain. 

Star Hobson was an inquisitive toddler who loved to listen to music and would dance in her baby walker, laughing and giggling. Star died aged 16 months on September 2020 of utterly catastrophic and unsurvivable injuries to her abdomen consistent with being punched, stamped on or kicked, prosecutors said. Her mother and parter and now in prison for causing and allowing this tragic death.

Star was in 'plain sight of public agencies'.

Star's great-grandfather David Fawcett shares his heartbreaking experiences of how family members tried to warn social services of how they faced "another Baby P" after they saw Star with bruises. 

I have now read the National Review (May 2022)  into the murders of Arthur Labingo-Huges and Star Hobson, that states how the concerns of family including grandparents were too often disregarded and not taken sufficiently seriously.  It goes onto to say that despite recent reforms that multi-agency safeguarding arrangements are not yet fit for purpose everywhere. 

It is good to read how there is an urgent need to redesign child protection in practice and it is fair to say that we are hearing the same rhetoric. I would not blame you for cringing at hearing the term another 'lessons learnt'. 

The image below was sent to agencies by family members including  grandparents who were raising the alarms and not heard.

Would it have made a difference if such significant relationships were placed clearly within the Children Act 1989? Would Social Workers have taken more seriously the concerns of grandparents and others, if they were deemed as significant within legislation? Star's grandfather shared how she would be safe when he cared for her and reluctant to send her back to her mum. He shared how she returned depressed and how they would build up that little girl ready to go back and be dragged back down to hell. 

This Petition:

This is the debate we need to have now and urgently in society and across government.  This is why we need you to sign this petition to get this conversation to those that have the power to act. 

Grandparents are significant in the lives of grandchildren and sometimes they are the protective factor. We need them to be enshrined in law and this petition is your opportunity to make a difference.