Two men were yesterday found guilty at the Old Bailey of causing or allowing the death of a 17-month-old baby who was on the child protection register.

The infant’s mother had earlier pleaded guilty to the same allegation, which carries a maximum 14-year jail term.

All three have been remanded in custody and will be sentenced on December 15.

Mr McBride said, “A great deal of hard work goes into child protection in Dundee in what are always very difficult circumstances for everyone involved.

“These include a comprehensive training and staff development programme.

“The CYPPC is a partnership between Dundee City Council, NHS Tayside, Tayside Police, the Reporter to the Children’s Panel, the Procurator Fiscal and various other agencies.

“These agencies work closely together to try and get the best resolution for children and their families in complicated and chaotic circumstances.”

The toddler involved in the English case died in a blood-spattered cot in August last year after spending much of his short life being used as a punchbag.

It was revealed yesterday that social workers, police and health professionals failed to save him despite 60 visits over eight months, during which he suffered more than 50 injuries.

NSPCC acting chief executive Wes Cuell said professionals dedicated to protecting children were being “overwhelmed” by the scale of child abuse and supporting them must be a priority for the Government.

Children’s Minister Beverley Hughes today demanded more investigations at the local authority responsible for the care of the toddler who died.

She said further examination was needed of senior management levels of Haringey Council in north London to see if anyone should take responsibility for the death of the boy.

Ms Hughes said she believed the chief executive of Haringey and councillors needed to look at whether anyone at a higher level should be held accountable for the death.

“I think the council has a responsibility, it is an elected body, to ask itself the question, in the light of this case, whether there is an accountability at another level in the management of this case,” she said.

Ms Hughes’s remarks come after the chairwoman of Haringey Local Safeguarding Children Board revealed yesterday that just three people have received formal written warnings over the death.

Sharon Shoesmith said two social workers and a lawyer had received the warnings.

But she said there would be no resignations or sackings over the affair and made a robust defence of the actions of social services.

The death of the little boy comes as a heavy blow to Haringey, which was severely criticised following the death of eight-year-old Victoria Climbie in 2000.

Mor Dioum, director of the Victoria Climbie foundation, which campaigns to improve child protection, called for a public inquiry, saying, “This case is worse than Climbie. The signs were there and not followed.”

There were “systematic and operational failures that led to the tragic and sad death of such a beautiful child,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gordon Brown and David Cameron were today involved in angry clashes in the Commons over the case.

The Tory leader repeatedly demanded the Prime Minister withdraw remarks after he was accused by Mr Brown of “playing party politics” over the death.

Speaker Michael Martin had to step in several times to calm MPs as tempers rose on both sides of the House during the exchanges at Prime Minister’s Questions.