Social workers 'warned of Matthews'

Dec 5 2008

The role of social services in the life of Shannon Matthews is being closely scrutinised following her mother's conviction for kidnapping her own daughter.

Mother-of-seven Karen Matthews, 33, was condemned by police on Thursday as "pure evil" after a judge told her she faces a substantial jail sentence.

Later allegations emerged that Matthews children had been placed on the child protection register but later taken off despite concerns about violence in the household and poor living conditions.

A BBC documentary team, which was given exclusive access to West Yorkshire Police's investigation, said social workers commissioned a psychological report about Matthews highlighting her "inability to successfully place the children's needs above her own" in December 2003 - three years before Shannon went missing.

The Panorama programme said the report concluded: "Her ability to protect her children is compromised by her inability to successfully place the children's needs above her own. I believe that Karen will require constant monitoring and support throughout the lives of her children."

According to the documentary, Matthews' children were removed from the child protection register by the time the report was completed.

The documentary alleged that despite ongoing concerns about violence in the home and the effect this might have on the children "they were never considered at risk of significant harm" and not placed back on the child protection register.

Kirklees Social Services said it was limited in what it could say about the Matthews family for legal reasons.

On Thursday Matthews was found guilty of kidnap, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice at Leeds Crown Court along with her co-accused Michael Donovan.

Matthews conspired with Donovan, 40, her partner's uncle, to keep her nine-year-old daughter drugged and imprisoned for 24 days in a desperate plan to claim £50,000 in reward money.