Criticism over Yarl's Wood 'sexual assault' failings

Senior staff at Yarl's Wood and social workers in Bedfordshire were alerted to the case when two five-year-old boys were seen engaged in "sexualised behaviour" at the centre.

An allegation was then made that one of the boys had been sexually assaulted by the older brother of the other child.

But a review by Bedfordshire Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) found that while "this should have triggered complex enquiries in respect of the two families... the authorities did not respond appropriately".

Social workers "misunderstood" the case and, because the children involved were under the age of criminal responsibility,  "they took the view, in error, that their enquiries into the adequacy of safeguarding arrangements for these children could be limited".

The social work team, which is now jointly managed by Bedford Borough Council and the recently formed Central Bedfordshire Council, also failed to investigate whether older children in the families may also have been involved in sexual abuse or whether they were a threat to other detainees.

Bedfordshire Police "inappropriately" dropped its investigation "without reference to officers with a specialist child protection background".

When the mother of the victim complained, "her concerns were, effectively, dismissed by all the agencies involved", the report adds.  

In addition, a GP who saw the child failed to treat the case as a child protection issue and the UK Border Agency (UKBA) was at fault for failing to challenge decisions made by social workers or properly brief ministers.

Sir Al Aynsley-Green, then children's commissioner, investigated the case earlier this year and shares concerns raised in this latest report.

Sue Berelowitz, deputy children's commissioner, said: "We continue to speak and listen to all vulnerable children, including those seeking asylum, to make sure that their voices are heard and that they are protected from harm. We are also continuing to work with UKBA to improve conditions for children at Yarl's Wood."

David Wood, head of criminality and detention for UKBA, said: "We will continue to work with Bedford Borough Council to ensure we are doing absolutely everything in our power to ensure children are safeguarded in the future.

"The government is carrying out its review of child detention, which will be concluded within weeks. We are determined to replace the current system with something that ensures a process that is firm, fair and dignified for families who have no right to remain in the UK."

Bedford Borough Council declined to comment.

The families involved have now been removed from the UK. The coalition government has made a commitment to end the detention of children for immigration reasons and is now consulting councils and refugee groups on the issue.