Inquiry reveals past safeguarding concerns at Ampleforth College and Abbey

Written by Jennifer Miller on 17 July 2024. Posted in ISS News

The Charity Commission has published findings of its class inquiry into two linked charities operating in North Yorkshire.

The Charity Commission has today (12 July 2024) published the report of its class inquiry into the St. Laurence Educational Trust and Ampleforth Abbey Trust.

St Laurence Educational Trust runs Ampleforth College, an independent school located on the same site as Ampleforth Abbey, which is operated by the Ampleforth Abbey Trust. Monks from the Abbey provide chaplaincy and teaching to pupils at the college. The inquiry was opened to assess both charities’ approach to safeguarding, including their practices and procedures, and how the charities ensured a safe environment for their beneficiaries.

The findings reveal there were significant weaknesses in the charities’ approach to safeguarding, governance, and management. The Commission identified numerous past instances in which both charities failed to manage safeguarding incidents appropriately and trustees failed to fulfil their responsibilities under charity law, which put students at the college at risk of harm.

The inquiry found that:

there was ineffective communication between the charities, and the safeguarding committees that were in place at the time the inquiry was opened did not adequately address the needs and requirements of either charity
St Laurence Educational Trust repeatedly failed to meet independent school standards and these failures, along with the slow pace at which cultural change and improvements were made, exposed beneficiaries to risks of harm and the college to reputational harm
the trustees of Ampleforth Abbey were found to lack sufficient expertise and oversight, and records relating to safeguarding were poor. The inquiry also found that trustees of Ampleforth Abbey were not adequately managing safeguarding risks to pupils attending the College

During the inquiry, the Commission recognised the charities’ implementation of structured governance reviews and the recruitment of experienced safeguarding personnel as positive steps towards improving safeguarding culture.

With the St Laurence Educational Trust having since received a ‘Good’ Ofsted inspection and readmittance to the Headmaster’s Conference, alongside the Abbey Trust successfully passing an audit by the Catholic Safeguarding Standards Agency, positive strides have been made by both charities. However, the Commission emphasises the need for continued vigilance and robust safeguarding measures to protect vulnerable individuals associated with the charities.

Amy Spiller, Head of Investigations at the Commission, said:

The inquiry found several weaknesses and failures in the approach to and handling of safeguarding matters across both charities which exposed pupils to risk of harm. We expect safeguarding to be a priority for all charities, and the lack of oversight demonstrated mismanagement in the administration of these charities.

We recognise the progress made by both charities during the inquiry, including recent compliance with regulatory standards, but the findings of our inquiry underscored the importance of maintaining high safeguarding standards and rebuilding public trust.

The full report detailing the findings of this inquiry can be found here.

Children’s Commissioner visits Manston Asylum Centre over Safeguarding Concerns

Written by Jen Miller on 12 July 2024. Posted in ISS News

The Children’s Commissioner for England has visited the Manston asylum processing centre this week due to concerns about the safeguarding of young people at the site.

The Children’s Commissioner’s role is to promote and protect the rights of all children including those in care and those arriving in the United Kingdom seeking asylum.

The Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, has previously said it is essential all the proper safeguards are in place for children arriving here, either with their families or alone.

She notes, children arriving alone are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse, and in 2022 had specifically asked about the numbers of unaccompanied children within the Manston Centre, and what action was being taken to find them new homes and to keep them safe.

An inspection report in June 2023 noted that during six month period 17,562 detainees had been held in Manston, including 1,257 children and, of those, 26 who were unaccompanied. They were held for an average of 40 hours 43 minutes.

The average recorded time of detention for children travelling in family groups was two days 11 hours although 232 children had been held for more than 96 hours and the longest time of detention for a child was more than 19 days.

Following this week’s visit Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza said:“My advocacy team visited Manston in Kent this week in response to concerns raised regarding the welfare of children and families arriving there. I have shared those concerns with the Home Office and the Independent Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration.

“Conditions in Kent can change quickly, with a change in weather and a spike in numbers arriving, and children’s welfare must be the absolute top priority – without exception and regardless of their immigration status. My staff and I will continue to make regular visits; they are an important part of my work to keep those responsible for vulnerable children to account.”

Previously, a Home Office spokesperson said: “We do all we can to ensure children are safe, secure and supported as we urgently seek placements with a local authority. All children receive a welfare interview on their arrival at accommodation, which includes questions designed to identify potential indicators of trafficking or safeguarding issues.”

Kent County Councillor Karen Constantine, who is one of the representatives for Ramsgate, added: “History keeps repeating itself at the Manston Asylum centre. Concerns are raised a Minister visits. Concerns are then quelled — until the next time. There are repeated claims of mistreatment at the detention centre, it is therefore vital, and now urgent, that those held in detention should have access to the local councillors and other civic organisations. This is an inalienable human right.

“Those detained do not know how long they will be held. Many will have complex health needs, they may have high rates of mental health issues and trauma related difficulties.

“According to the BMA they are ‘entitled to the same range and quality of healthcare services as the general public receives in the community.’ Except – that simply isn’t happening, some of what I’m hearing is extremely concerning, it’s on our doorstep and not going away.”

Manston asylum processing centre opened in February 2022.

Credit: https://theisleofthanetnews.com/2024/07/12/childrens-commissioner-for-england-visits-manston-asylum-processing-centre-over-safeguarding-concerns/

Halifax Man Jailed for 1970s Child Sex Offences

Written on 11 July 2024. Posted in ISS News

A man from Calderdale has been jailed for sexual offending against a child which took place over 40 years ago.

John Gaukroger of Halifax was today jailed for over two years after a jury found him guilty of two counts of indecent assault against a single victim which took place in the 1970s.

The court heard how Gaukroger would help out a children’s centre which cared for children in an afterschool capacity. During this time, he would also take the children on camping trips.

The offences took place between 1975 and 1976. The victim was under the age of 10 at the time of offending and came forward to police in 2020 to report the offences.

An investigation was launched by Calderdale’s Child Protection Unit and Gaukroger was arrested and subsequently charged in May 2023.

He continued to deny the allegations throughout a three-day trial at Bradford Crown Court, but a jury found him guilty of the offences in May this year.

Appearing before the court for sentencing today (Thursday 11 July), Gaukroger, who is now aged 91, was jailed for 26 months and ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register.

He was also given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order by the Judge.

The following is an extract from the victim’s personal statement which was read out in court:

“These types of crimes always come with a stigma, I was nervous of what people would think about me, judge me, to this day I have not told anyone outside of my family. I was scared and feared people knowing and felt ashamed.

“It is only now as the investigation has reached its conclusion that the pressure has been let off and I feel like I did the right thing coming forward. I feel like I have now come to terms with everything and since the case was in court I have had some of the best night's sleep I have ever had.

“Since the initial report and speaking out, there is not a day I do not think about this incident and what happened to me. I think about it from the moment I wake to the moment I go to bed, it has had a big impact on me, my family and my relationships. I am happy this now has a conclusion, and I can try my best to move on from this now.”

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Inspector Vicky Lawrance of Calderdale District Police's Child Protection Unit, said:

“Firstly, I want to thank the victim in this case, for coming forward and reporting the abuse he was subjected to as a young child.

“Gaukroger forced his victim to relive the dreadful offences he committed against them by putting them through the ordeal of a trial, and I am pleased for them that the jurors saw through his attempts to evade answering for what he has done.

“There is a possibility that there are further victims out there, who suffered as a result of Gaukroger’s actions, and we would very much like to hear from them.

“Irrelevant of the length of time passed, you will be listened to, supported and we will do all we can to fight for victims and bring perpetrators to justice.”

Youth Warnings, Reprimands and Cautions no Longer Automatically Disclosed to Employers

Written by Jen Miller on 30 November 2020. Posted in ISS News

Youth warnings, reprimands and cautions will no longer be automatically disclosed to employers who require Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificates from 28 November.

The changes, which come as a result of a Supreme Court judgment that found some elements of the existing filtering rules for Standard and Enhanced DBS checks were disproportionate, are intended to make it easier for people with certain convictions to find employment.

The multiple conviction rule will also be removed, meaning that if an individual has more than one conviction, regardless of offence type or time passed, each conviction will be considered against the remaining rules individually, rather than all being automatically disclosed on the certificate.

Christopher Stacey, co-director of Unlock – a group that campaigns for people with convictions – welcomed the changes, but said they did not go far enough to improve access to work for some people with childhood convictions.

“The changes coming in on 28 November are a crucial first step towards achieving a fair system that takes a more balanced approach towards disclosing criminal records,” he said. “However, we are still left with a criminal records system where many people with old and minor criminal records are shut out of jobs that they are qualified to do.

“We found that over a five-year period, 380,000 checks contained childhood convictions, with 2,795 checks including convictions from children aged just ten. Many of these childhood convictions will continue to be disclosed despite these changes.

“Reviews by the Law Commission, Justice Select Committee, former Chair of the Youth Justice Board Charlie Taylor and David Lammy MP have all stressed the need to look at the wider disclosure system. The government’s plan for jobs should include a wider review of the criminal records disclosure system to ensure all law-abiding people with criminal records are able to move on into employment and contribute to our economic recovery.”

New DBS guidance advises organisations to update their recruitment processes in light of the changes and check the Ministry of Justice website for which convictions or cautions should be disclosed by job candidates.

It suggests that employers ask job candidates: “Do you have any convictions or cautions (excluding youth cautions, reprimands or warnings) that are not ‘protected’ as defined by the Ministry of Justice?”

It also urged employers to include the following paragraph in their standard job application forms: “The amendments to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (2013 and 2020) provides that when applying for certain jobs and activities, certain convictions and cautions are considered ‘protected’. This means that they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account.”

The guidance says: “Employers can only ask an individual to provide details of convictions and cautions that they are legally entitled to know about.

“If an employer takes into account a conviction or caution that would not have been disclosed, they are acting unlawfully under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

“Employers should conduct a case-by-case analysis of any convictions and cautions disclosed and consider how, if at all, they are relevant to the position sought. It would be advisable for the employer to keep records of the reasons for any employment decision (and in particular rejections), including whether any convictions or cautions were taken into account and, if so, why.”

Cedit: Ashley Webber - Personnel Today

Forty children as young as 14 recruited to deal drugs inside school

Written by Jennifer Miller on 26 August 2019. Posted in ISS News

A county lines drug gang forced 40 children to deal cannabis and cocaine at a single school.

The teens, some as young as 14, had been supplied with drugs and dealing kits including deal bags and scales.

Police say grown-up dealers had a network of 40 pupils dealing at the school which has just over 1,200 pupils - meaning one in thirty was possibly selling drugs.

It is suspected that girls as young as 14 at Kingsdown School in Swindon, Wiltshire, have been pestered for sex in exchange for cocaine.

And the dawn police raid yesterday - on the eve of GCSE results - revealed the extent of the teens coerced into the operation.

Wiltshire Police arrested a 27-year-old man during the raid. He has since been released under investigation.

Sgt Nathan Perry, who planned the 7am raid, said: "We found the person we're looking for, we've managed to safeguard the children who were at risk and we've found drugs.

"We all know about county lines and the risks associated with that.

"The difficulty with this type of drugs operation is that it's specifically targeting very young children in order to get them to deal drugs.

"Some of the information we've been passed is that children are not only being coerced into this activity, but they're also being physically threatened.

"If they go to police or teachers they'll be harmed," he added.

Police were said to have been alerted to the gang at Kingsdown School.

A pair of older teen boys, both 16, are believed to have been supplying a network of up to 40 children in their mid-teens at the Swindon school.

The 27-year-old was arrested during the morning raid on suspicion of possession of class B drugs with intent to supply and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

The raid came as Swindon police focused their sights on modern slavery.

Nationally, police have increasingly turned to modern slavery laws to target drug dealers who force children and vulnerable adults to peddle their product.

Sgt Perry said those convicted could expect sentences of up to 15 years imprisonment.

"You've got children being exploited and young kids being forced to run the drugs. We will take it seriously," he said.

"The sheer nature of the exploitation of these young people is unacceptable.

"If we don't do something to stop that they're potentially going to be at risk for the rest of their lives.

"Unfortunately, those children that are at risk now become the suspects of tomorrow and we lose them completely," he added.

"They need that positive engagement and we're not going to be able to do that until we remove their handlers, for want of a better word."

If children start becoming more withdrawn, secretive about their possessions and start acquiring cash and expensive clothes without explanation, it could be a sign they are being exploited by the gangs.

Article reported by Tom Seaward for the Mirror.