Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Hundreds of children in care homes faced decades of abuse

Hundreds of children in care homes faced decades of abuse

A damning public inquiry sheds light on the "culture of cover-up" that has exposed over 700 children in London care homes to decades of abuse.

Hundreds of children in the care of a London authority faced “hard to comprehend” levels of abuse and neglect over several decades, a British public inquiry revealed on Tuesday.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse said that between the 1960s and the 1990s, local authority staff in the south London borough of Lambeth treated children in their care as if they were “worthless.”

705 former residents had made allegations of sexual assault, rape and other forms of abuse at three Lambeth children’s homes, the report said, and a number of children reported abuse at the time it occurred. But in four decades, only one staff member was disciplined.


Investigators found that staff members in the south London borough put vulnerable children in the path of sex offenders, who infiltrated children’s homes and foster care settings with “devastating, life-long consequences for their victims.”

“Over several decades, children in residential and foster care suffered levels of cruelty and sexual abuse that are hard to comprehend,” the head of the inquiry, Alexis Jay, said.

“For many years, bullying, intimidation, racism, nepotism and sexism thrived within the council, and all against a backdrop of corruption and financial mismanagement,” she added.

Children who complained about mistreatment were disbelieved and dismissed, according to the inquiry.

The report said many Lambeth Council employees showed “a callous disregard for the vulnerable children they were paid to look after.”

"It was as if staff intended to create a harsh and punitive environment for children who had the misfortune to be in public care, through no fault of their own," the report said.

Investigators collected distressing testimonies from former residents. One of them described "hearing other children screaming at night and he himself routinely experienced violence and sexual assault, including being photographed whilst being raped."

"LA-A147 was in the care of Lambeth Council in the 1990s and 2000s, from the age of three. Over ten years, she was placed in nine children’s homes and with four sets of foster carers. She described being raped by a foster carer’s teenage son at the age of nine, and was also frequently sexually abused by older men she met whilst in care. By the age of 13, she had developed a drug addiction and was “selling herself” to fund it."

-The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse-


'Racism'


The inquiry found that “racism was evident in the hostile and abusive treatment” received by Black children in the council’s care.

"There were many black children in Lambeth Council’s care. In Shirley Oaks in 1980, 57 per cent of children in its care were black. During 1990 and 1991, 85 per cent of children who lived at South Vale were black," the report noted.

The report urged police to consider whether there were grounds for a criminal investigation into the death of one boy, who killed himself in a care home in 1977 after alleging abuse by a senior staff member.

Lambeth’s current leader, Claire Holland, said the council was “deeply sorry” for the “shocking” abuse.


'Get those names out'


Husna-Banoo Talukdar, who said she was repeatedly abused while in Lambeth care homes between 1976 and 1979, said she would keep campaigning until the perpetrators’ names were made public.

“The inquiry missed that opportunity to get those names out there, to get it known who did what -- the abusers, the council, the police who covered it up,” said Talukdar, who waived her right to anonymity.

The multi-year inquiry was organised following the 2011 death of children’s entertainer Jimmy Savile, after which dozens of people came forward to say he had abused them.

The inquiry is investigating child-protection failings in multiple settings, including church-run schools, young offenders' institutions and the internet, and is due to deliver its overall findings next year.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
EU Proposes Phasing Out Russian Oil and Gas by End of 2027 to End Energy Dependence
More Than 150,000 Followers for a Fictional Character: The New Influencers Are AI Creations
EU Prepares for War
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
×