A NEW report highlights 'lessons learned' by safeguarding agencies after a six-month-old baby received life-changing injuries.

A Serious Case Review published by the Somerset Safeguarding Children Board (SSCB) calls for better handover procedures and information sharing, as well as more professional understanding of the risks within a child's wider family.

The review concerns a case which happened in Bridgwater in November after a child's head was hit against a hard surface.

The incident left the baby with severe brain damage, blind, and unable to feed.

The newly published report shows ‘Child Sam’ had repeated contact with a range of health professionals before being taken to a Minor Injury Unit by members of his family in November 2015.

The SSCB, which is made up of representatives from all the organisations with a role in safeguarding children, decided to hold the independent review to make sure lessons are learned from the incident.

Sally Halls, the independent chairman of the SSCB, said: “A child is particularly vulnerable during their first few weeks of life. It is therefore critically important that all professionals involved with the family are alert to factors which may potentially put the child at risk of harm.

“There are important lessons to be learned from this case. Too often professionals were engaging only with mother and Sam, concentrating on the ‘here and now’ rather than considering family history and known risk factors.”

“I am satisfied that individual agencies have responded positively to the report’s findings, and that a multi-agency action plan is in place with the necessary monitoring to ensure that the review’s recommendations are fully implemented.”

The report found that a lack of communication between various agencies meant health workers were unaware of Pople's history of domestic abuse, and that more needs to be done to safeguard unborn babies.