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Jersey - don't forget about the links to England

It is important to remember that Jersey is not isolated from England's child care system. Children from the mainland have been placed in Jersey. The secrecy of the family courts makes it difficult to find what has happened to children who disappear or indeed to identify patterns.

I am aware of allegations of abuse today in the English child care system where the threat of contempt of court proceedings is being used to allow allegations of abuse to go uninvestigated.

Those paid to operate the system claim the secrecy protects the children. The secrecy actually protects those that operate the system. We have had so many cases where children in care have been abused there really has to be some point at which people say "this is unacceptable and cannot continue".

I arrived in my office in London today to yet another letter alleging abuse of children in care where their birth parents are rendered powerless by the secret family courts. This is just wrong.

There is also a flow in social workers between Jersey and England. Given what is being revealed about Jersey and the systematic nature of the abuse this does require what the care leavers association ask for viz a proper inquiry.

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