Care crisis deepens as Highland Council admits young being targeted by County Lines drug gangs and at risk of child sexual exploitation with senior councillors now calling for a full independent investigation
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THE crisis in Highland Council-run children’s residential care has deepened amid revelations that those behind county lines and child sexual exploitation are targetting care-experienced young people in the north.
It comes after claims by care-experienced young people involving allegations of bullying, violence, substance misuse and child protection concerns were exclusively revealed by the Courier’s sister paper the Highland News last month.
Those allegations were supported by a Care Inspectorate report into one facility named Leault, near Abriachan, and now official papers from the council’s health, social care and wellbeing committee.
A report to councillors stated: “There is data now coming to the fore that suggests that the prevalence of county lines and child sexual exploitation has increased in the last 18 months with perpetrators focusing on our care-experienced young people and residential houses.”
The fear is that with at least half-a-dozen examples of children and young people fleeing care in the last 12 months, they could fall prey to predators.
Council committee chairwoman Linda Munro wants the local authority to order an independent investigation after seeing the claims made by a number of care experienced young people.
“In my 15 years of representing the needs and rights of care-experienced young people (CEYP), I have learned it is absolutely essential for them to have staff they can trust and have confidence in while in care,” she said.
“CEYP also need and have a right to access independent and supportive platforms where they can speak out and be heard when things don’t work as they should – this is their absolute right.
“On reflection, I agree a review on its own is not sufficient, and the right way forward is for an independent and robust investigation into the allegations made by the young people.”
Councillor Glynis Campbell-Sinclair, who has raised the issue of the treatment of some young people in care, “tentatively” welcomed Cllr Munro’s stance, adding it would need backing from council chief executive Donna Manson.
“That’s how it works in Highland Council these days,” she said.
“However, the performance and quality assurance review report substantiates some of the serious concerns raised over several months by elected members, staff past and present and CEYP with the chief executive, senior social worker and council leadership.”
A council spokeswoman said it has taken actions at Leault to meet Care Inspectorate recommendations, and defended a senior officer who wrote to staff “to reassure” them that there is no investigation despite the serious allegations.
She added: “It is entirely appropriate that the senior officer (ECO) for health and social care has appropriate liaison with relevant bodies throughout child protection processes, including any independent review.
“If anyone has any concerns about the care of children and young people, they should provide that information directly to social work or the police to ensure the correct child protection processes can be followed to safeguard children and young people.”
