Abused girl made pregnant in care

AGLOUCESTERSHIRE child with complex behavioural needs was groomed and sexually abused by her carer and became pregnant while in care.

A safeguarding review into Child X, who was 15 at the time, has raised alarm over the lack of supervision, safety and quality of care.

The review found that the basics of safety and containment were not achieved, she was sexually abused, had access to cannabis and tobacco and absconded at times.

Child X experienced a traumatic childhood and has complex behavioural and emotional needs which can mean she poses a risk of serious harm to herself and sometimes to people caring for her.

She first entered care when she was nine and has lived in dozens of different placements. In October 2021, Child X was subject to a secure order.

The aim of this secure accommodation was to provide intensive support and safe boundaries to help to manage her behaviours and enable her to move safely to a placement in the community.

However, the secure unit struggled to care for Child X safely.

Gloucestershire County Council said it had no choice but to move Child X, according to the report.

With no other secure or regulated placements available, they put together an emergency bespoke care package for her at Placement

One, an empty assessment unit.

The care staff from the two nursing recruitment agencies that had been working with Child X at the secure unit were commissioned to continue working with her. The setting was not deemed appropriate; it was clinical, sparse, with no kitchen, and it was unregistered.

The nursing recruitment agencies understood they were supplying temporary care staff who would be under the “supervision, direction and control” of Gloucestershire County Council.

But even the basics of safety and containment were not achieved; she had access to cannabis and tobacco and absconded at times, according to the review.

She was groomed and sexually abused resulting in pregnancy.

In the absence of clear boundaries, it appears that Child X took control of the unit, the report says.

She would choose which staff she would “allow” on shift and make others stay outside in their cars for their entire shift.

Child X’s mother highlighted the irony of Placement One being selected as a building that could minimise self-harm but in fact Child X was abused by the staff who were meant to be caring for her.

The review found there was weak leadership, poor quality of care, poor support and poorly trained staff and a lack of external oversight. Child X was moved to Placement Two in January 2022 after the commissioning team found a local provider.

It took several months to find a suitable building for her and then for the provider to be registered with Ofsted, with Child X finally moving in June 2022.

Child X refused to move unless her care staff team moved with her and it was agreed that they would initially go with her but gradually be replaced by the provider’s own staff. Placement Two undertook due diligence checks on all the care staff and provided training on a trauma informed approach.

In July 2022, Child X disclosed she was at least three months pregnant. Further disclosures raised concerns that a member of the care staff had abused Child X.

In September 2022, Child X moved to a third placement out of county. A house was identified, and a staff team recruited for Child X and she has remained there.

During the year under review, Child X had two temporary agency social workers and for a very short time a newly qualified social worker was allocated as additional support. Given the high risk and vulnerability of this placement there should have been more frequent social work visits and oversight, the review says.

Ann James, executive director of Children’s Services at Gloucestershire County Council, said they accept the review’s findings and are implementing changes to ensure children are safeguarded in future.

“It is appalling that this young person suffered abuse by someone in a position of trust, and we welcome the custodial sentence imposed by the courts,” she said.