A TWO-year-old girl suffered serious burns to her arm and leg just months after decision was taken to downgrade her child protection plan.

The youngster and her older sister had been monitored by Redcar and Cleveland Council and health care officials since her mother told a midwife that she was pregnant.

A combination of the 'toxic trio' – domestic violence, substance misuse and adult mental health issues – had been identified in the family's 'transient' lifestyle

But after three years of finding it difficult to get the family to interact with, among others, social services there was a recommendation that they be removed from the Child Protection Plan and placed on the less serious Child in Need plan in May 2013.

By October the young girl was in hospital being treated for burns and medics discovered bruising to her body and made the subject of police protection.

Paediatricians concluded that the burns could have been accidental, but most of the bruises were non-accidental.

After an initial period in foster care, both children are now in long-term placements and doing well.

Today, Redcar and Cleveland Safeguarding Children Board has published a report into how public agencies interacted with the family and recommended a series of improvements that are currently being implemented by address any failings.

Jan Van Wagtendonk, the chairman of the safeguarding board, said: “It is never acceptable for a child to be ill-treated and we are extremely saddened that this child received injuries.

“The board remains committed to ensuring that children and young people in Redcar and Cleveland are protected from harm and are as safe as possible.”

The report said agencies had a “poor understanding of the nature and extent of potential violence that the children were exposed to,” with insufficient risk assessments made on either the girls’ father, or the mum’s new partner.

And it adds child protection plans “should only be discontinued if it is judged that the child is no longer continuing, or is likely to, suffer significant harm” - one of four key areas identified among nine recommendations made.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council's director of people services, Barbara Shaw, said: “The learning from this review will help us to work together with our partners more effectively and do all we can to ensure we keep children safe.

“We have already made significant improvement in many areas outlined in the report and have taken action to implement the recommendations.

“The child in this case has settled into her new home and is making excellent progress.

“We will continue to work with schools, families and communities to build partnerships that can protect children, prevent abuse and transform lives.”