The former children’s services chief who was fired over the Baby P case has lodged an employment tribunal claim against her former employer.
Sharon Shoesmith was dismissed without compensation by Haringey Council in north London in December, following a critical report on her department’s failings.
She lodged a claim with the Watford Employment Tribunal on 6 March and could be eligible for a payout of up to £173,000 if she proves the council wrongly sacked her.
A spokesman for Haringey Council said: “We will be contesting this vigorously.”
Children’s secretary Ed Balls sent inspectors to the local authority after the trial of those responsible for the death of the 17-month-old ‘Baby P’.
The inspectors identified serious concerns about Haringey’s inadequate child protection services. Baby P had been on the child protection register and was seen by professionals 60 times before his death in 2007.
Shoesmith, who ran a department with 1,000 staff and oversaw its annual budget of £100m, lost an internal appeal against her dismissal in January.
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