8th October 2012

Lauren is born. By this time her family situation was already chaotic as her mother Margaret Ward and her partner Marie Sweeney had abandoned or been evicted from three rented homes in recent years, one of which required major repairs and cleaning.

October 2012 to July 2014

Lauren is seen 13 times by health visitors, including eight home visits. They report she seems well and was gaining weight, and meeting developmental milestones

November 2012

The headteacher at Lauren's sisters' primary school raises concerns about their hygiene, headlice and unsuitable clothing. A health visitor conducts a series of home visits but says the children appear to be better presented. No assesment is made of any risk to Lauren.

February 2013

A health visitor assesses Lauren as achieving developmental milestones. The house is described as reasonably clean, though lacking furniture and with other items in a poor state of repair.

March 2013

Health staff assess Lauren and her family as needing no additional support. This means Lauren will next be due a check when she is two and a half. Lauren died aged two years, five months.

During her short life, Margaret Ward sought help from community pharmacy services 17 times over minor ailments, and twice visited the GP, although Lauren was not seen every time. The number of visits is not seen as excessive.

February 2014

The school's deputy head and school nurse agree there should be a home visit over concerns the children may be being neglected, but there is no record this was acted upon.

May 2014

With the older girls still infested and suffering poor hygiene, the deputy head and school nurse agree a home visit with Margaret Wade, but she cancels it.

June 2014

The school nurse is so concerned by conditions when she visits the home unannounced that she alerts social work services - the first time they have been involved.

A social worker visits but cannot get in to the house. The health visitor does manage to visit and describes the home as unsafe for a child to live in.

4th July 2014

A social worker and health visitor make a joint visit, but are reassured there has been "significant improvement." It is agreed that health staff will continue to treat the children for head lice while school staff will monitor the situation for the older girls.

9th July 2014

The last day Lauren is seen alive by anyone outside the family.

15th March 2015

Found unresponsive on the sofa, Lauren is later pronounced dead.

Read more: