A child traumatised
by Haringey Social Services
Re-Baby 'forcibly removed' from foster care two hours after court ruling
Sept 06 2006
Writes Sally Gillen
Read Article Haringey Whistleblower Nevres
Kemal Read Article See a list of
Haringey Social Workers
Re-drafting of
a letter '09 September 2006' when Fassit called for Sharon Shoesmith to be sacked!
To:
Sharon Shoesmith
Children Services Department
Haringey Council
Civic Centre High Road
Wood Green
N22 8LE
Fassit UK make this statement and
support calls for the sacking of the director of Haringey children’s services,
Sharon Shoesmith.
Rarely, within children’s services, are decisions clear cut, differences in
definitions and thresholds of abuse are often cited as ‘tying the hands of
police and social services’ from intervening to prevent child abuse. Recently,
however, social services themselves have proved how it is not only parents who
are capable of inflicting harm on children. The story, published in community
care, relating a three year old removed from his local authority carer sheds
light on how social services sees themselves as above the law.
In a ruling, on the carer’s failed petition to become the child’s legal
guardian, social services were directed by the Judge to handle the transition
from the carer’s home to the prospective adopters sensitively.
How did social services show their respect to the ruling – within two hours
social workers had ‘bundled’ the child into a car from where he was playing
outside his carer’s house.
Neighbouring children were left traumatised as the carer was assaulted in the
process of the child being seized. A spokesperson for the Council said there
were differences in the accounts but 150 neighbours of the carer have signed a
petition asking for the social workers involved to be sacked.
Whether accounts of the assault are believed or not, most definitely the
police have taken the view that the carer is not believed, it still begs the
question of whether social services are above the law.
The process for removing a child from their long-term carer and placing them
with adoptive parents is a well-structured and sensitive one. Children are no
longer’ dumped’ on adoptive parents and left with fear and insecurity at how
they came to be in their new home.
The actions of Haringey Council fly in the face of all the policies and advise
of the BAAF (British Association for Adoption and Fostering) and will no doubt
leave deep psychological scars on this poor child. Who benefits from such
social services – certainly not the community from which the child was taken,
not the child, certainly not foster carers up and down the land who must now
be asking how they will be treated under similar circumstances.
Social services have been called morally corrupt institutions and such event
proves that they are ethically bankrupt also.
Kindest Regards
www.fassit.co.uk
Independent report clears Haringey social workers
in
‘baby snatch’ case
11 January 2007
Community Care site
Independent report clears Haringey
social workers in ‘baby snatch’ case
Two Haringey Council social workers who allegedly “snatched” a baby from outside
his former foster home have been cleared of breaching good practice guidelines.
An independent report, commissioned by the north London council, found the
practitioners removed the child for adoption quickly because they believed his
former foster carer would abscond with him and would not co-operate with them.
But the report, seen by Community Care, criticises the lack of support provided
to the carer after the removal of the child, known as Child C, whom she had
looked after for 16 months.
And it has emerged that the copy of the report intended for the foster carer was
sent to her neighbour, who opened it, due to a mistake in the address.
Opposition Liberal Democrat councillor Bob Hare said he was “absolutely
appalled” by the mistake and said he would write to director of children’s
services Sharon Shoesmith to complain.
The child was taken from the carer in August last year, hours after she lost a
High Court battle for guardianship, and was placed with adoptive parents.
The report rejects the carer’s complaint that Child C’s abrupt removal breached
good practice, despite five witness statements from neighbours that the social
workers ran with the child, who was screaming, to a nearby car. According to the
report, the practitioners had concerns that the carer was a “flight risk”,
despite Child C not holding a passport.
However, it upholds part of the carer's complaint that she had been left
“sobbing on the pavement”. “The lack of co-ordination to provide support for the
carer was concerning," the report states. "She was undoubtedly left alone in a
very distressed state following the child’s removal.”
The report recommends the carer should receive an acknowledgement from Haringey
of the distress the child’s removal caused her and that she should be allowed to
write a goodbye letter or make a video.
A spokesperson for the council said: “It is a detailed and comprehensive report
and we accept its findings in full.”
Contact the author: Sally Gillen
sally.gillen@rbi.co.uk
Social worker in race case claims Haringey
ignored
children at risk
A senior social worker has claimed
Haringey Council left
seven children at risk of abuse and then subjected her to racial discrimination
and hostility for whistleblowing.
Nevres Kemal last week had her claims of racial discrimination and less
favourable treatment as a result of whistleblowing accepted by an employment
tribunal by default because the council failed to respond to them.
The tribunal, held at Watford, made no findings of fact in the case. This
week, Haringey rejected Kemal's claims and is planning to appeal against the
decision.
In papers submitted to the tribunal, Kemal said that in October 2004 she
reviewed the case of seven children, aged three to 16, where sexual or physical
abuse was suspected. She said: "The files I was passed indicated that children
had been sexually abused and left in the care of their abusers for nine months."
Kemal said five of the children were not given a medical examination at the time
of the initial allegations, which "lost potentially important forensic
evidence".
But she said, when she reported the claims, managers failed to act.
She then claimed the council suspended her after the parent of a teenage girl
made an allegedly false complaint about her acting aggressively, and a final
warning was placed on her record.
But Haringey Council this week described Kemal's allegations as "spurious and
incorrect".
A spokesperson said that "detailed investigations" were carried out after Kemal
made a number of allegations, which found that correct procedures were followed
and children were not put at risk by any action or inaction by the council.
Explaining the council's failure to respond to the allegations at the
tribunal, they said the tribunal papers were never served on the council.
"Haringey only became aware of the claim on 16 February 2007," they added.
"Having now seen this claim, we will robustly fight this case. It is very rare
for a council to make such an unequivocal rebuttal of an employee's claims."
Kemal's lawyers have written to health secretary Patricia Hewitt calling for a
public inquiry.
Other alleged
scandals at Haringey Council
HARINGEY
SCANDALS - I know of social workers who have adopted several children.
I've also been told of other SW's who have adopted and later handed back
children.
I also know that SS are now removing children who are
settled with foster carers and placing them with their
siblings from other foster carers and then placing them
together for adoption as they say its easier then to have them adopted.
Previously it was virtually impossible to place three or more siblings
together for adoption; they are now placing up to six siblings together
and loads of financial incentives are offered.
Many of the adopters are "home schooling" the children,
which means the kids rarely see anyone outside of the home and
if they are being abused, this is a huge worry.
I'll stop now. As you can see; I'm still
extremely worried about what's happening to children in this country
re-adoption.
Quite frankly; the prospect of what's happening scares me witless.
'Fassit Whistleblower'
HARINGEY
SCANDALS - This man Mr Iftukhar Cnugtai who
was issued with a child foster care certificate , although
he has a criminal record AND its alleged never attended the Foster Carers
Training Course? 'Fassit Whistleblower'
