Gloucestershire girl became pregnant in care after sexual abuse

Gloucestershire County Council said it was implementing measures to ensure children and young people were safeguarded in future

A girl with complex behavioural needs was sexually abused and became pregnant while in care, a report says.

A safeguarding review into the girl, who was 15 and cannot be named for legal reasons, has raised concerns over the lack of supervision, safety, and quality of care.

A 44-year-old man has been jailed for 44 months for engaging in sexual activity with an underage girl.

Gloucestershire County Council said it was implementing recommended changes.

The review found the "basics of safety and containment were not achieved", and the girl, referred to as Child X, was sexually abused, had access to cannabis and tobacco and was able to abscond.

Executive director of Children's Services, Ann James, said: "It is appalling that this young person suffered abuse by someone in a position of trust.

"We know that more could and should have been done to ensure their safety and have taken action to improve commissioning arrangements for children in similar situations."

'Why did no-one take me out of there?'

The report revealed the girl had "a traumatic childhood". She had complex behavioural and emotional needs and was deemed a risk to herself and those looking after her.

She has lived in dozens of different placements including foster homes, secure units, and residential care.

The girl told the reviewer that when she was at Placement One the staff "did not keep her safe" and there were no boundaries in place.

She said she was sexually abused by staff and felt she was given anything she asked for, trips out - often far afield, expensive meals out, takeaways three times a day and even cannabis.

She asked the reviewer: "If so many professionals were worried about me being at Placement One why did no one take me out of there?"

The girl had access to cannabis and tobacco

In October 2021, she was placed in secure accommodation, however, the unit struggled to care for Child X safely.

Gloucestershire County Council said it had "no choice" but to move Child X and she was later moved to 'Placement One'.

It was clinical, sparse, with no kitchen, and unregistered, but designed to limit possibilities for self-harm, the report said.

'Need to take control'

In the first 24 to 48 hours, the placement structures and management systems were not established, and this situation continued for the next nine months.

In the absence of clear boundaries, it appears Child X took control of the unit, the report said.

She would choose which staff she would "allow" on shift and make others stay outside in their cars for their entire shift.

This need to take control is often a response to a lack of stability or feeling contained, according to the review.

One of the issues identified in the report was that the girl was perceived to be more grown up than 15.

The council has accepted the report's findings in full

The report said there was weak leadership, poor quality of care, poor support, poorly trained staff and a lack of external oversight.

Poor communication also hindered the progress of education assessments and there was a lack of emphasis on the importance of education for Child X, the report said.

She was moved to a second placement in June 2022.

But she refused to move unless her care staff team moved with her and it was agreed these staff would initially go with her but gradually be replaced by the provider's own staff.

The review said Placement Two undertook due diligence checks on all the care staff and provided training on a trauma-informed approach.

Three months pregnant

They employed specialists to work directly with the girl and to support the care staff and put clear boundaries in place including a manager.

In July 2022, Child X disclosed she was at least three months pregnant and further disclosures raised concerns a member of the care staff had abused her, resulting in the pregnancy.

Child X was then moved to a third placement out of county and she has remained there since the move.

Given the high risk and vulnerability of Placement One there should have been more frequent social work visits and oversight, the review said.

Ms James said "more could and should have been done" to ensure Child X's safety

Child X's mother tried to voice her concerns about Placement One and challenged her access to cannabis, but said she felt blamed and suspected of providing the drugs herself.

She highlighted the irony of Placement One being selected as a building that could minimise self-harm, but in fact child X was abused by the staff who were meant to be caring for her.

The review found lines of accountability and responsibility for planning and decision making were unclear, which resulted in confusion and lack of action with staff being unclear about their roles and responsibilities.

Ultimately this led to a fragmented approach to Child X's care.

The critical safeguarding review has made 10 separate recommendations to the council.

Ms James said: "We accept the findings of this review in full, and we are implementing the recommendations to ensure children and young people are safeguarded in future."