'Witch hunt' social workers ignored parents and 'destroyed lives'
An independent review has told Herefordshire Council its children's services department is a "sobering reminder of how easy it can be to destroy lives"
Herefordshire families who reached out for help from county’s children’s services were first ignored, then met with hostile responses that amounted to “witch hunts” against them.
This was among the findings of a panel convened by children’s commissioner Eleanor Brazil to hear from families affected by the department as part of her review into its failings.
Ms Brazil, who has already published a highly critical initial report earlier this year, headed the independent panel who held 10 day-long sessions with families in Hereford and Leominster during March and April.
The panel’s report has now been published and makes for more grim reading for the council - calling for major changes in the culture of the council.
The panel found their cases showed “core failings in the system”, which is “particularly concerning as most cases are still open with children’s services”.
It also said social workers allegedly told struggling families they had "more important things to do" and the impact on those not being listened to is a "sobering reminder of ... how easy it can be to destroy lives when in a position of power and authority".
Families “felt that the professionals’ responses exacerbated and escalated” initial problems. And when then complained to the council, they found procedures were “inadequate" and issues are systemic.
One parent, Eddy Parkinson said the report was “damning but nowhere near damning enough”.
“It doesn’t address the criminality or numbers of unlawfully taken children, the unqualified staff who masqueraded as social workers from agencies, or the false statements to courts and parents deliberately misled to gain control of children,” he said.
For the council, director of children’s services Darryl Freeman said the report was “a hard read”.
“I apologise to all the families for what they have been through,” he said.
“We will now look at the questions it raises, and explore with families how we can better work with them and meet their needs.”
Newly-appointed cabinet member for children’s services Coun Ivan Powell said: “I am committed to ensuring that every aspect of children’s services learns from what the families has told the panel.”