THERE is no hiding from the fact that the criticism of Darlington Borough Council by Britain's top divorce judge, over the authority's handling of a case involving a 13-month-old boy, is damning.

Sir James Munby, in ruling that a young father should be allowed to bring up his son despite the council's bid to keep the baby in care, said the case had given him "great concern" and blamed senior management for "serious failings in social work practice".

The judge described the council's case as a "tottering edifice built on inadequate foundations". It does not get much more withering than that.

Sir James decided it would be wrong to name the social workers directly involved when more senior managers were not identified during the legal process.

It is, therefore, entirely right that a statement from the council, acknowledging the failings, accepting the responsibility, and making it clear that the case has led to changes to social work practices, was made in the name of chief executive Ada Burns.

It is right to underline the failings of the council because it is vital that lessons are learned.

But we should also appreciate that councils across the country are operating in an increasingly difficult environment when it comes to the care of children.

A tightrope is being walked and a slip on either side – over-protection of the child on one side, or negligence of the child on the other – is sure to lead to public condemnation.

In the case heard in the High Court by Sir James Munby, Darlington Borough Council was guilty of getting the balance badly wrong and jumping to unjustified conclusions about the morality of the father.

We must all now hope that the baby boy emerges from this disturbing case with a happy future in the care of a loving father.