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March 2002 Archived News
Wednesday 20 March 2002
CHURCHES' ROLE IN CHILD PROTECTION TO BE EXPLORED BY INQUIRY
THE role of the nation’s churches in identifying the needs
of children at risk will be discussed at the second Victoria Climbié
Inquiry Phase Two seminar on Friday 22 March.
The pressing need for this issue to be considered was highlighted
during Phase One of the Inquiry, when it was revealed that preachers
at three churches failed to notice that Victoria was in danger,
when the tragic eight-year-old was taken to their institutions by
her great-aunt, and eventual killer, Marie Therese Kouao.
One pastor who saw Victoria admitted to the Inquiry, in October,
that he had believed the little girl was possessed. Pascal Orome,
of the Mission Ensemble Pour Christ church, Borough, south London,
said: ‘What I had heard did not sound like a medical problem.
I thought it would more likely be a spiritual problem.’
Concerns about the ability of churches to identify the needs of
children at risk were raised again, last month, when a survey indicated
that the lack of child protection training in many theological colleges
could lead to a repeat of the tragedy.
The investigation by the Churches’ Child Protection Advisory
Service, which has been submitted to the Inquiry, found that of
those colleges that responded only 50 per cent offered child protection
training to future ministers.
To ensure the role of churches, in this aspect of child protection,
gets proper consideration at the discussion group, Director of CCPAS
David Pearson - who has helped provide many churches with comprehensive
training on the issue - has been invited to discuss his reservations.
Other people attending the seminar - which will primarily look
at the question of how the needs of children and their carers are
properly identified by local agencies - will include Nana Amamoo,
Director of the African Families' Association and Kathy Pell, a
named nurse for child protection.
Contact:
Paul Rees, Head of Communications
Tel: 020 7972 1999
Fax: 020 7972 1981
Mobile: 07884 473 355
paul.rees@victoriaclimbie.org
Wednesday 13 March 2002
ROLE OF PUBLIC IN CHILD PROTECTION TO BE EXPLORED BY INQUIRY
THE ROLE that can be played by members of the public in the protection
of children at risk, who are difficult to track - such as those
newly arrived in England - is to be explored at the first Victoria
Climbié Inquiry Phase Two seminar on Friday 15 March.
Guests at the seminar, entitled Discovery and Inclusion, will look
at what the community at large can do to help ensure that children,
like Victoria, who was brought to Britain, from the Ivory Coast,
via France, are drawn to the attention of local agencies so that
they can receive the services they need.
Evidence heard during the first stage of the Inquiry, which looked
specifically at Victoria's case, showed that on two key occasions
members of the public raised concerns about Victoria's wellbeing
with agencies.
Another issue to be looked at by the discussion group will be how
agencies can improve their information-exchange mechanisms and work
better in partnership so that children can be more effectively protected.
Attending the seminar to discuss these, and other matters, will
be 24 guests - from various backgrounds, including frontline staff
and senior managers - who have all been invited because of their
experience and expertise.
Among the guests will be David Lammy, MP for Tottenham - the part
of Haringey in which Victoria lived; Ratna Dutt, Director of the
Race Equality Unit; Rosemarie McQuarrie, a practice nurse and Dr
Yomi McEwan, a general practitioner.
The seminar is the first of five discussion groups in the inquiry's
second stage, which is to look at ways to prevent a tragedy, such
as Victoria's, happening again. Each seminar will be held between
10am and 4pm and chaired by Inquiry leading counsel Neil Garnham
QC.
Contact:
Paul Rees, Head of Communications
Tel: 020 7972 1999
Fax: 020 7972 1981
Mobile: 07884 473 355
paul.rees@victoriaclimbie.org
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