Children's secretary Ed Balls has ordered an inquiry into child welfare in the north London borough where a 17-month-old boy died following months of abuse.

Ofsted, the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection and the chief inspector of constabulary will examine services in Haringey after an initial investigation found a series of failings had led to the death of 'Baby P'.

Balls said there would be a "thorough inspection" of all agencies involved in safeguarding children in the borough, with an initial report due by December 1.

"The case of Baby P is tragic and appalling," he said. "It is our duty to take whatever action is needed to ensure that such a tragedy doesn't happen again, that lessons are learned and that children in Haringey are safe."

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he refused to "prejudge the work of the national inspectors in the next two weeks".

"These are really difficult jobs but, in the end, if there are management systemic failures, then yes, there has got to be accountability and also there has to be action to make sure things are put right," he said.

"I have the powers to act but I am not going to do the easy political thing and seek a headline with an action today. I want to do it properly and that's why the inspectors are doing it."

Accountability

Although Balls ruled out immediate action, he acknowledged that "there has got to be accountability".

He added that "in the end it comes to my desk" and that of children's minister Beverley Hughes.

"Our job is to make sure that the systems are in place and properly applied. But in the end, I can't, from Whitehall, run particular cases," he said.

"I can't make a guarantee that children will be safe - that has got to happen on the ground, locally.

"No system can ever be perfect when you have a mother who lies and the kind of evil and horrific treatment of a small boy. It is almost unimaginable."

The inquiry follows the death of Victoria Climbie in 2000, which led to Lord Laming's report calling for the child protection system to be significantly reformed.

Lord Laming has been asked to carry out a nationwide review of services in the wake of the Baby P case.