I READ the story about a proposed pilot project to place social workers in primary schools with great interest (The Argus, May 7).

In 1973, I was involved in the first major inquiry into child abuse, namely the Maria Colwell inquiry.

The Argus at the time led the way in calling for this inquiry to be held in public.

As Maria’s teacher in primary school, I too was insisting all the facts regarding her tragic life be brought into the open.

One of the findings of the inquiry was the lack of liaison between schools, particularly teachers in the classroom, and social workers.

As a result of my involvement with the inquiry, to which I was invited to give evidence, I had the opportunity to talk to the directors of social services and of education overseeing East Sussex.

One of the suggestions I made to them was that there should be social workers in schools working with teachers.

I was asked to spend a day with the National Children’s Bureau in London to talk about my involvement with Maria in school.

Again, I stressed the need for social workers to work very closely with teachers, preferably within the school, and I have reiterated this on the many occasions I’ve been interviewed by the media, usually when yet another report of an inquiry into child abuse has been published.

I put forward this suggestion to many people in the intervening years.

I gave up teaching in 1989. Sadly, at that point, I felt there had been very little improvement in the contact between teachers and social workers, with fault lying sometimes on both sides.

It is important to remember that in any situation involving a teacher, social worker and a child, the most important individual in that relationship is the child.

I commend Damien Jordan, the head of Fairlight school, for calling for social workers in schools for four years.

I hope this pilot project succeeds at last.

I had been calling for it for 16 years.

Ann Turner, Elvin Crescent, Rottingdean