In the wake of the Baby P case a Kent foster mum has spoken out over her fears a new piece of government legislation could be leaving vulnerable children in abusive homes.

The Kent County Council carer has expressed her concerns over the piece of legislation adopted this year, which could be preventing social services working effectively.

The Public Law Outline (PLO) was brought in by KCC in April – after being introduced to some councils in London - as a way of speeding up the court process in social services cases.

However a KCC foster parent has said, in practice, the legislation means children have to stay at home longer where they might be at risk, while social services builds a case to have them removed.

It comes a week after the stepfather of Baby P and lodger Jason Owen 36, of Wittersham Road, Bromley, were convicted for causing or allowing the death of a child. The mother had already admitted the charge.

Social workers over-stretched when dealing with child cases>>>

The KCC foster carer who wanted to remain anonymous said: “Since the PLO was implemented in April there has been a trickle of children coming through.

“It has been a very quiet year. The quietest I and many of my colleagues have ever known.

“In theory the PLO is good, because by the time the children get into the court process social services will already have appointed the relevant experts.

“They will have done all the ground work necessary to make the decision for a child’s future.

“But what is happening in reality is children are remaining at home longer while social workers gather all the evidence they need to get to court in the first place.

“I know of a case where there was evidence of physical abuse and when social services went to court to get an order they could not get it. So a child had to remain in the home and was subsequently harmed again before they could be removed.”

“And that is not an isolated incident.

“There are foster carers with empty beds in Kent and considering there is a national shortage of foster carers that is very strange.”

Kent County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Families Leyland Ridings said: “The Public Law Outline was introduced in April this year by central government following very limited consultation with local authorities.

“Since its introduction there has been a reduction in care proceedings within the first six months nationally, and this is reflected in Kent as well. Figures for care proceedings are now rising as the new process has bedded in.”

“Kent has 670 foster carers and placements are higher than in previous years."