Beleaguered inspectorate Ofsted has been landed with a legal action by former director of children's services at Haringey LBC, Sharon Shoesmith. Ms Shoesmith, has launched a judicial review against the secretary of state for children, schools and families, the council and Ofsted. The move comes after she was dismissed from her post in the aftermath of the death of Baby P. Ofsted already faces another judicial review, from Surrey CC, on its latest assessment from the inspectors. A statement from her solicitor, Tony Child, has claimed the joint area review carried out by Ofsted was ‘unlawful', that it was issued ‘in disregard of the rules of natural justice and of the statutory arrangements made under Section 20(5) of the Children's Act 2004'. It also claims she was not given the opportunity to ‘correct/ contradict' the findings of the JAR. Against secretary of state Ed Balls, it claims the directions to dismiss Ms Shoesmith were beyond his powers, and he was bowing to media pressure. It too claims her dismissal was against ‘natural justice' and she was not given the chance to correct the basis on which the action was taken. It accuses the council of a ‘fundamental breach of natural justice' for failing to grant a ‘meaningful appeal', and for relying on the ‘unlawful' JAR and ‘unlawful' directions of the secretary of state. It also accuses the council of failing to carry out its own investigations into her capability. An Ofsted spokesperson said: 'We have received details of Judicial Review proceedings on behalf of Sharon Shoesmith. As this matter is now subject to legal proceedings we are not able to comment further. A spokesman for Haringey LBC said: ‘We have not been served with any papers and will consider our position if and when anything happens.'
