A Consultation Is Not Good Enough !

In my view this is an excellent ‘must read’ article from The Independent on Sunday 

Though I am a little concerned that the Government appear to be launching a ‘consultation’ over an issue which rightfully should be part of an independent national inquiry into the way children have been treated in care homes in this country over the last 40 years.

This is a ‘sticking plaster’ approach, one designed to fob the public off and cover up the past failings and cover ups of Government and Local Authorities.

No doubt there will be another “line in the sand” / “lesson will be learnt” /”mistakes were made” conclusion.

Yet another distraction from the bigger issues.

Next month, the Government will launch a consultation to increase the responsibilities of local councils to do more to look after the children in their care. By the end of this year, only senior officials will be able to decide to place children far away from their home, and only then if it is in the child’s best interest. And children’s homes will be required to work more closely with police and local authorities to prevent children from going missing.

From April 2014, for the first time, the Government will collect national data for all children missing from care – not just those who are missing for more than 24 hours.

A Home Office spokesman said: “All missing people are recorded on a database held by the national Missing Persons Bureau, but we recognise that improvements can be made in the collection and sharing of information about children who go missing from care. We are working with other government departments and agencies to take this forward.”

The Independent

Very Important Please Read

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” Edmund Burke

The BBC have announced that Rolf Harris has been arrested. I am aware that whenever there is any news about the allegations of sexual offences against Rolf Harris, The Needle receives a steep increase in traffic. Without wishing in anyway to seem unsupportive of the victims in this particular case, I’d like to take this opportunity to write about something far more widespread.

Over the last 40 years or more, the care home system in the UK has been targeted by paedophiles, producers of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) material (child pornogaphy) , the trafficking of children for sexual exploitation, and on occasion the murder of victims, either because their deaths become sick entertainment , or because they knew too much.

Some of this has been extremely well organised and is not restricted to one or two local authorities. This is a problem that is widespread.

When I first became aware of this I felt ashamed of myself. I felt ashamed because I had assumed that the most vulnerable in our society, children in need of care of the state, were safe. To find out that that was not the case and that because, in part, of my ignorance, the sexual abuse of children was being exploited and perpetuated was very difficult.

But now I am no longer ignorant, now I know what has been going on. Ignorance is not a crime but to turn away once all ignorance has been dispelled is morally reprehensible.

There has been a systemic cover up of the truth. One reason for this is due to the fact that many child abusers hold great power, a second reason for this is because CSA is an underworld industry which makes a great deal of money and therefore corruption is rife, a third reason for this is because some people mistakenly thought that moving a problem elsewhere solved it, and finally because with so many powerful people implicated for the three previous reasons, it has become an issue of national security.

I’d like to appeal to every parent and grandparent who reads this. This is not just historic this is a very real child safeguarding issue today.

Please take the time to read the articles here on The Needle and on Spotlight. Don’t look at the individual stories in isolation. Look at the broader picture.

Now I’ve told you, now you know, remember the words of Edmund Burke, and do not turn away.

“All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”

Becky’s Story.

Liz Davies and Nora Duckett researched this account of a 14 year old girl who was sexually abused at home and also by a network of child sex abusers and she gained no protection.They both contributed to the programme by commenting throughout. Information about the documentary is available from the BBC flyer and a guardian article: ‘There are too many Becky’s – Liz Davies finds the case of a 14-year-old sexual abuse victim, to be revealed in a BBC documentary tonight, is far from unique’.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Haringey: Cllr Ron Aitken