There has been a steady increase of looked-after children (LAC) in the care system over the past years: 28,220 children were taken into care during the year ending 31 March 2012 compared with 27,500 children the year before, an increase of 3%. Those most affected are in the ten- to 15-year-old bracket, bringing the total of LAC to 67,050. The death of Baby P in 2007, after months of abuse, is thought to have contributed towards a more cautious and proactive approach in the social work profession. How well have these children been comprehensively assessed regarding their physical, mental, cognitive and social development prior to being moved out of their parents’ care? The answer is invariably ‘not very well’ and a number of reasons can be cited for these multiple failings: lack of resources, poor or absent training, lack of expertise, personal and professional bias, organisational barriers and interprofessional rivalry.