Yorkshire Family’s Struggle Exposed in Safeguarding Review
Bradford, UK – August 27, 2024
A recent child safeguarding review has unveiled a harrowing tale of neglect and systemic failure involving a Bradford mother and her two young children. The family, whose ordeal culminated in them being found sleeping rough in a park, had faced a series of failures by authorities that contributed to their suffering.
According to the review, the mother, a teenage Romani woman from Eastern Europe, and her husband lived on meagre resources—£140 in child benefits and irregular cash-in-hand earnings—after being evicted from a home plagued by cockroaches. Her Universal Credit benefits had been halted a year earlier due to unresolved immigration status issues.
The report details a grim period of neglect spanning several years, with the family living in various locations in and around Bradford. Child protection medical examinations revealed significant injuries and health issues in her two children: Danuka, aged two, and Sara, eleven months. Danika had fractured ribs and liver damage, while Sara suffered severe nappy rash. The swift response of a social worker ensured the children were taken to hospital, where their conditions were addressed.
The mother’s history, marked by at least six different partners and indications of possible exploitation, had not been adequately investigated by authorities. The review highlights multiple missed opportunities by social services to address escalating concerns about the family’s situation. The mother had been pregnant at 14, and her engagement with health services was described as “intermittent” from 2016 to 2018.
Significant concerns were raised when reports emerged about the mother’s violent partner and possible drug use. Despite numerous anonymous tips and police callouts between February and April 2020, social services failed to act decisively. By June 2021, reports of the family’s dire living conditions, including an infestation of cockroaches and unsafe household items, were noted, yet no immediate action was taken.
In September 2021, a concerned public member found the family sleeping in a park, prompting emergency housing provision. However, the family was placed in temporary accommodation deemed unsuitable, leading to further safety hazards for the children.
The situation escalated in December 2021, when new concerns about drug use and neglect led to a more thorough investigation. The mother and her partner were found under the influence of drugs, and the children were subsequently removed from the home and placed with foster carers.
The safeguarding review, authored by Jane Wiffin, criticizes the failure of authorities to address the mother’s immigration status and the cumulative neglect faced by the children. It highlights a need for a more robust response to domestic abuse and better integration of services to prevent such cases from recurring.
Janice Hawkes, Independent Scrutineer of the Bradford Safeguarding Partnership, acknowledged the review’s findings and the cultural assumptions that contributed to the oversight. She stated, “This case underscores the critical need for comprehensive and coordinated safeguarding practices. We are committed to implementing the recommendations to ensure that future cases are handled with the urgency and sensitivity they require.”
The review is a stark reminder of the importance of vigilant and coordinated child protection efforts, especially in cases involving vulnerable families facing complex challenges.
Shocking story of woman’s ordeal after she arrived in Yorkshire as report cites ‘mistakes and lack of action.’
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