JUST up the road in Southampton, three years ago, a little boy called Blake Fowler died of head injuries. He was seven.

A report into this death – for which no-one has been charged or convicted – has discovered that despite 18 opportunities during which his life could have been protected, not one was acted upon sufficiently.

When this little lad who, despite the horror perpetrated on him, came across as ‘lively and cheerful’, was discovered unconscious with serious head injuries, traces of ‘ceiling material’ were found in his hair and on his lip.

Ceiling. Just think about that.

By the time of his death he was reported as showing ‘sexualised behaviour’ and had suffered unexplained injuries, although he would appear to have told anyone who would listen who was doing the hurting. His pitiful condition was so apparent that even workmen in the street where he lived reported it.

But they may as well have told the cat, for all the concrete assistance this little lad received.

Naturally the Local Safeguarding Children Board – yeah, right – has produced a report in which they stated: “Evidence of the abuse and neglect was repeated and explicit.”

It was. But that didn’t stop the usual suspects – police, school, social services – from failing him.

Nothing to see here, yadda yadda yadda.

Speaking about the findings of the report, LSCB chairman Keith Makin said: “On behalf of the Southampton Local Children Board, along with colleagues from the council police and health services in the city, I would like to say how sorry we are that Blake did not get the help that he needed.”

But not sorry enough for anyone to resign in shame and disgust about what happened to this child, eh?

According to Southampton’s ‘Director of People’ Alison Elliott: “It is not about blame.”

She’s not to blame – she joined the authority after Blake’s death – but it doesn’t matter.

Because in that absurd, meaningless job title – which probably took some committee an entire day to dream up – and in that arrogant sentence I believe you learn everything you need to know about why children like Blake die when they possibly, on another day with a better authority, might have lived.

And I can assure her and all others who hold positions of authority that in cases like this it is always about blame.

Blame on the people who hurt children, blame for inquiries not followed up, blame for actions not taken, blame for lives lost when perhaps, if the people who are in many cases paid vast and indecent sums to ensure stuff like this doesn’t happen, had done their job properly, a child may have lived.

In an interview with our sister paper in Southampton, Ms Elliott was reported as saying: “Whilst there is no way of excusing the failings of the past, we would like to reassure local residents that we are fully committed to carrying on with these improvements and providing the highest possible standard of children’s services in our city.”

I don’t know how she kept a straight face. And I don’t understand how any of those who may have failed this little boy can even look at their own faces in the mirror every morning.

I know I couldn’t.