The report follows the arrest in 2003 - and subsequent dropping ofcharges - against nine adults thought to be involved in the severeneglect and physical, sexual and emotional abuse of three young girls(see News, p8).
It concludes that with the information available to professionals,including doctors, nurses and social workers, the children should havebeen taken into care much sooner than they were. The children sufferedneedlessly and for too long, and their views and testimony were giveninsufficient weight.
Information was shared. Multi-agency case discussions were held. Thecases were regularly reviewed through the children's hearingssystem.
And yet nobody acted. In a situation in which children were not onlybeing sexually abused but also neglected to the extent that one was leftto scavenge cat food and another slept in a cupboard, this seemsunthinkable.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
