Failings led to foster mum's death - inquest

Council failings contributed to the circumstances leading up to the death of a foster carer who was killed when a 12-year-old she was looking after ran her over with her own car, a coroner has found.

Marcia Grant, 60, died from catastrophic chest injuries after she tried to stop the child stealing the car from outside her home in the Greenhill area of Sheffield on 5 April 2023.

Following an inquest, assistant coroner Marilyn Whittle recorded a narrative verdict in which she cited shortcomings with Rotherham Council's handling of the child's placement with Mrs Grant.

Nicola Curley, from Rotherham Council, said: "We recognise the seriousness of the coroner's findings, and we will now take time to reflect fully on the outcome of the inquest and consider all appropriate next steps."

The boy, known as Child X, was sentenced to two years in prison in November 2023 after admitting causing Mrs Grant's death by dangerous driving after a murder charge was dropped.

Speaking after the inquest, Mrs Grant's son Shaun said his mother "deserved better", adding she would not have taken Child X on a care placement if she had known about his full history from the council.

In a joint statement with his sister, Gemma Grant, he said: "We have been on an agonising journey to uncover the truth behind the events and systemic failings that led to the death of our beloved mum.

"What has become evident over the last few weeks leaves us with no doubt that our mum was failed, our family was failed, and so too the foster child that was in our long-term care."

He went on to say they welcomed the coroner's findings that "our mum was failed on numerous fronts and that these failures directly contributed to her death".

Ms Whittle said in her conclusion that the circumstances which led to Mrs Grant's death "were contributed to by the failings of the Rotherham Council to have appropriate systems and processes in place when placing foster children".

She added the failings were "including but not limited to the lack of accurate and complete documentation, failure to communicate risks and concerns appropriately, failure to conduct appropriate risk assessments and failing to safeguard those in their care".

She said she would be preparing a Prevention of Future Deaths report addressing issues, including the council's lack of documentation and failure to complete forms.

She added this was a "national issue" and not just to be directed at Rotherham.

The inquest heard Mrs Grant and her husband, Delroy, had been fostering for seven years and were highly regarded by the council's fostering team.

They had been looking after another child, referred to as Child Y, when they answered a call asking all of Rotherham's foster carers for an emergency placement for Child X on 30 March 2023.

Ms Whittle said that Child X had a youth caution for possessing a knife and had at times talked about wanting to be part of gang culture.

However, this information was not included on the initial placement referral form, which made it "deficient".

She said Mrs Grant did not have "full knowledge of Child X's risks" because of "the failings of Rotherham Council to have in place systems and processes to ensure full details are included and up to date forms were used".

The coroner went on to add that "had the proper process been undertaken, Child X would not have been placed with the Grant family".

On 4 April, the inquest heard that Mrs Grant received a visit from the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) who discussed the placement with her.

The IRO said after the meeting they would not recommend that the placement be extended as there were concerns that Mrs Grant was having to keep knives locked in another room.

Child X was removed from Mrs Grant's care on 5 April, but she was asked to keep him on for a longer placement because social services could not find an alternative placement.

But soon after he went back to the Grants' home, he tried to steal their car and Mrs Grant was killed as she stood behind the vehicle trying to stop him driving it away.

Ms Curley, from Rotherham Council, said the authority was "truly sorry for the [family's] loss".

She said: "Marcia was a much-loved and highly respected foster carer, and a central figure within Rotherham's fostering community.

"Her family have spoken of her devotion as a wife and mother — qualities that were equally evident in the care and compassion she gave to some of our borough's most vulnerable children.

"She made a lasting difference to the lives of many, and she remains deeply valued and greatly missed by all who knew her."

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