Social Services latest: Haringey dumps 14 kids in Kent - Totteham Conservatives comment 19/07/05

Haringey Council has 'dumped' 14 children in Kent, according to a new report published by Kent County Council.

Local Conservatives claim that the 'Thanet Inquiry' published this month (July) "blows the lid off the practice of dumping cared-for children far away from their 'home' borough."

The report, produced through the Kent Child Protection Committee, was generated as a result of concerns raised by local residents with Thanet North MP Roger Gale. The report clearly shows that Kent County and the Cliftonville area of Thanet in particular, has for too long been used as a depository for children who are meant to be in the care of London Boroughs like Haringey. Haringey alone has 'dumped' 14 children in the Kent coastal town far away from friends, family and their own, familiar area. Neighbouring Islington (LD) dumped 18 children in Kent - 2 more than Haringey.

Roger Gale, Conservative MP for Thanet North, alerted Justin Hinchcliffe, of Haringey Conservatives, to the problem. Justin Hinchcliffe said:

"Haringey Council, along with other London boroughs, is dumping vulnerable children in seaside resorts such as Margate in Kent. These children are often in need of specialist care from health to education and do not have any ties to Kent.  Haringey's Social Services is looking to cut costs by
putting the welfare of these vulnerable children 'out to tender'. This contradicts the 1989 Children's Act which says the child's welfare is "paramount.".

Roger Gale, MP, adds:

"This concentration of children's homes has placed an unacceptable burden on local resources in my constituency thanks to councils like Haringey and it is bad for the children in care and for local residents.

For far too long other Social Service departments have entered into contracts with care providers without proper notification to the local authorities, without making advance provision for education and healthcare and without funding the facilities needed. Those local authorities are receiving large sums of money from central government to do a job, passing the problem on at relatively low cost and pocketing the balance to use for other purposes. This cannot be acceptable.

Now that we have an authoritative report that substantiates and quantifies the concerns that we have expressed I am writing to the Children's Minister (Beverley Hughes) to seek an urgent meeting with local councillors and myself to discuss the social and financial implications of the report and to press for Treasury, Office of the Deputy PM and Health and Education Departmental action to address these very serious issues."

ENDS.