Rotherham By-Election – Simon Wilson, on Fostering Scandal

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I thought it would be helpful to share my thoughts with readers on today’s disturbing events.

My overriding concern is for the three young children; presumably they were taken away from their original home because Rotherham social services had genuine concerns over their well-being.

For the last two months they have benefited from being brought up in a safe, stable and secure home; they have now been removed from this environment. I understand that it is difficult to find foster carers able to take multiple children from the same family and I therefore urge Rotherham Council to very quickly find a foster home where all three children can live together; the fear is that they either remain in council run children’s care or are split up amongst different foster carers. Neither of these outcomes will help the children.

I also welcome Michael Gove’s announcement that he will lead the enquiry into this incident.

If chosen by the people of Rotherham to serve them as their next MP I will do all in my power to support this enquiry, and to ensure that Rotherham Council has in place the most robust safeguarding measures possible to protect all vulnerable members of our community.

Simon Wilson

Twitter: @SW4Rotherham

Other contributions from candidates on this topic would be both welcomed and instructive for readers of Rotherham Politics and for Rothpol.

16 thoughts on “Rotherham By-Election – Simon Wilson, on Fostering Scandal”

  2. I think it is a bit rich of the Council to single out one candidate especially when one candidate has had the benefit of support from many schools in South Yorkshire and Derbyshire who may have been coerced into putting pressure on low income families to fund a charity over many years.

    Educational establishments should not be part of a right wing stealth tax collection service and should be put on statute to prevent fund raising which can be used for political purposes indirectly.

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  4. At last! a thoughtful and humane response to this so ill-understood situation/event/whatever.
    So unlike the hysteria in some sections of the press.

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  5. This is exactly why I oppose political correctness – Rotherham Social Services have been so blinded by “political correctness” that they have lost sight of any moral compass they may have had along with any recognition of what is right and what is wrong.

    Instead of seeing three children in need of a loving home they see only skin colour and a political agenda. This is exactly the same as when those vulnerable girls who were being preyed upon complained to people who should have been protecting them. They heard “Asian men” and were so frightened of being thought racist that they did nothing. It took the NW Crown Prosecutor Nazir Afzal to re-open cases and get justice done because he had no fear of being called racist.

    The law should be colour-blind, as should these officials.

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  6. The children’s best interests must be our paramount concern. Political belief alone should NOT cause children’s removal.

    Having said that, I reserve judgement as I know Social Services ‘should’ maintain confidentiality and perhaps other facts may yet come to light?

    I believe in evidence based decision making, reviewing new information as it becomes available & legal due process which must not only be done but seen to be done with alacrity.

    As a former victim of child abuse this is an issue I am passionate about tackling!

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  7. I only hope these carers dealt with Rotherham MBC in writing and have retained the documentation.

    Perhaps Rothpol could get permission from them to reproduce it, suitably redacted, such that we can all judge the tone and motives of the Council.

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  8. Pingback: What don’t we know about the UKIP fostering case? | Indigo Jo Blogs

  9. Sorry Simon I will never trust a tory with local or national social services. I worked in them for 32 years and the tories did nothing but harm. By the way I am not the only that who thinks the tories have decimated the social and public sevices and will totally destroy them with further cuts cuts cuts cuts while giving tax breaks for millionaires and George Osborne claiming the MP’s extra child allwoance. Shamful.

    Read this from one of your own:

    http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/mar/25/council-cuts-local-government-knees?CMP=twt_fd

    As for Micheal Gove leading the inquiry. We need someone independent and with a clear non political approach to make it truly transparent and credible. A judge would be nice. If we don’t get that it wil become just another politcal football. Gove ain’t the one to do it love. Talk about jumping on a band wagon.

    By the way the Tories were in charge of Oxfordshire Coounty Council had their own little grooming scandal A majority of 30 – reduced after the scandal to a hung council. – (so there is hope here – not for tories though).

    If you are going to preach look to you own too and stop simply indulging in party electioneering. The foster children and victims of abuse deserve better.

    SKT xxxx

    PS: THe Connexion Service was to enegender joined up thinking re child protection and issues with all services. What was the first thing this government cut – The Connexiions Service. Mass nationwide redundencies and reduced services as aresult. Are you going to give it the stolen funding back? Or are you simply trying to gather votes by any means by joining a crusade against a problem your party helped create?

    PS; children now living independently after fostering have to pay the bedroom tax; now that’s what i also call a scandal – young girl on apprenticehip – income £51 pw – 2 bedroom lives in flat – wanted 1 bedroom but nowhere available – looses £14 pw to bedroom tax.

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