Girl, 7, given two STIs by paedo foster parent – just months after being placed into care because of sexual abuse at home
Social services in Croydon, South London, review procedures after primary school girl given gonorrhoea and chlamydia
A PRIMARY school girl has been left with two STIs after being sexually assaulted by her approved foster carer – just months after being placed into care following sex abuse at home.
The child was removed from her family home after she was abused by a 32-year-old friend of her brother at the age of six.
But while in the care of two approved foster parents, the girl – then just seven or eight – was found to have contracted gonorrhoea and chlamydia, the reported.
The girl’s ordeal emerged after Croydon Safeguarding Children Board (CSCB) carried out a case review to discover how authorities were able to miss the signs of abuse.
Shocking details in the report reveal the youngster – named as Claire – had gone to school "splay-legged" after just her first night with the foster family.
But poor girl spent a further 15 months in the horror home before social workers realised what was going on and removed her – despite the child’s school and GP flagging their concerns.
A total of eleven "findings" were noted in the 71-page report, including failures in communication, approval of foster carers and problems with inexperienced staff and their managers.
Claire and her two siblings were known to authorities, having been put on a child protection plan because of a range of suspected issues at home.
Social services had concerns over neglect, "extreme" domestic violence, drug and alcohol misuse in her home.
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Then, in January 2012, she was abused by a friend of her brother as she slept in bed next to her mum.
The brave little girl revealed the shocking incident to a friend of her mother and she was removed from the home and placed in the care of her grandma.
But after she found herself unable to cope, her granddaughter was placed with a foster couple – named only as Mr and Mrs George – in May 2012.
But on her first day at school – just five months after the original abuse which led to her being removed from her home – teachers flagged concerns.
She was seen walking with "her legs splayed open" and told staff she was "hurting inside her vagina", the report said.
But despite reporting their concerns to a social worker, no immediate action was taken.
The report states: "The school were informed of the decision – they were unhappy with the response but were not sure what else they could do."
Over the next 12 months, authorities still failed to remove the little girl from the foster home – despite repeated calls from one of the foster carers themselves, Mrs George, calling for them to do so.
Finally, in August 2013, a GP raised the alarm after suspecting the little girl was suffering from an STI after being taken to see them.
But social workers still failed to act until test results came back with conclusive proof.
The report says: "The GP correctly told the [social services] manager she was extremely concerned by this response [to wait] and went on to make numerous phone calls to health colleagues in an attempt to elicit a different response."
It adds: "The lack of action taken was contrary to the child protection procedures, left Claire at risk of harm and fell well below expected practice."
Swab results finally came back three days later confirming the little girl was suffering from not one but two sexually transmitted infections.
Social workers' suspicions initially fell on Claire’s biological father – only suspecting her foster father when he blew up and became abusive upon being told the news.
The little girl was finally removed and put in emergency care on August 23, and was placed with specialist carers on November 30, where she still remains.
On September 9, Mr George was found to have tested positive for chlamydia – with his wife being found to have gonorrhoea, which he is thought to have sought treatment for.
It is understood the male carer was successfully prosecuted, although it is not known what he was charged with or what sentence he received.
The report states: "Whilst the abuse of a child by foster carers is rare, the wider circumstances of this case are not.
"The findings address these wider circumstances and suggest that if these issues are not addressed, the multi-agency safeguarding system will continue to have the weaknesses described, and the same practice and shortcomings could occur again."
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