The temperature outside the Committee of Inquiry Building
has certainly been rising and so too during the present Hearings.
Those involved with responsibility for the welfare of young people in our Care Homes have been giving evidence. From the evidence given to date by some
witnesses one is left to wonder whether they were actually working in Jersey .
This is because some witnesses have claimed that the Homes were extremely well
run and no one ever raised a hand or spoke a bad word against any of the young
people
However some witnesses have had different experiences and
certainly have not been blinkered or worn rose petal spectacles. Not only have
they witnessed abuse but when raising concerns they fell on deaf years.
I recently attended a Hearing. I looked into the Press Room
from where I am banned and noted the ample room available which says little for
the COI Panel’s knee jerk reaction to ban
some Bloggers like me.
I was surprised at the number of senior civil servants
present who were no doubt attending to give moral support to the witness.
However I wonder how many were there in their time and not at the taxpayer’s
expense.
I also noted two senior civil servants sitting in privileged
seats. I don't know why they were there but I understand that their attendance is
regular. I am not only concerned that they are attending at taxpayer’s expense
and not doing the job they are paid to do, but someone else is being paid to
cover for their absence and possibly charged to the COI.
Given the seniority and of their positions in the Health and
Chief Minister’s Department they would be intimidating to any current civil
servant who dareS to break ranks and come forward with evidence of malpractice. I have raised
my concerns with the COI but am still
waiting a reply.
During the Hearing questions were asked about the
disappearance around 2002 at La Chene of a number of crucial documents. Almost as expected even those in senior positions have not been able to come up with a
suitable answer or even a possible reason for their disappearance.
Around 2002 serious concerns were being raised about
overcrowding, abuse and the overall well being of the young people and staff at
establishments like La Chene.
An independent inquiry
was undertaken by Dr. Kathie Bull, who was seconded from the Office of
Standards in Education (Ofsted) for this purpose. In late 2002 she published
her report entitled, “The Principles, Practices and Provision for Children and
Young People with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties and Disorders in the Island of Jersey
The Report was most revealing
and some might say it pulled no punches. However what is not commonly known is there was a first report which was definitely revealing and Dr Bull pulled no punches.
Unfortunately it was unpalatable for many of the people identified in the
Report so a watered down version was published. Having seen both reports it
cannot be disputed that punches were pulled and the published Report although
still revealing made for more comfortable reading.
I was not aware that a number
of crucial documents had disappeared but given the comments in the Bull Report
it does not take a genius to work out why they went missing or
identifying the small number of people who might have been involved with their
removal.
