Child protection workers ‘gripped by hysteria’ over abuse allegations, says judge

Child welfare professionals were gripped by a “sort of hysteria” when a woman and her two children made sex abuse allegations against a man, a High Court judge has said.

A number of staff acted in breach of their professional duty by failing to properly investigate, and as a result the two children suffered, said Mr Justice MacDonald.

The judge singled out a social worker, detectives, a teacher – who was also a school safeguarding adviser – and a teaching assistant for criticism after analysing allegations at a private hearing in the Family Division of the High Court.

He said the woman had asked him to rule that the man – the father of one child – raped her and abused the children.

But he said the woman had “manufactured alarm” after becoming involved in a dispute with the man over the care of their child.

The judge concluded that every allegation the woman and children made against the man was false.

The woman “told lies” and “coached or influenced” the children – now aged 10 and six – into making allegations, he said.

Mr Justice MacDonald made the ruling in February but its publication was delayed because the man was facing criminal charges.

The judge said prosecutors had now indicated the criminal charges would not be pursued.

He has not identified the woman, the man or the children, although he said they had links to Scotland and London.

Police Scotland and a social worker at the London Borough of Hackney had been involved in investigations and the man had been facing charges in Scotland, he said.

A representative of Cafcass – the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service – represented the interests of the children at the hearing, said the judge.

“She considered this case to be ‘quite extraordinary’,” said Mr Justice MacDonald.

“Surveying the conduct of professionals in this case she concluded that ‘it is as if a sort of hysteria took over and prevented people from asking certain questions’.”

The judge added: “I cannot help but agree.”

He said the case was “very concerning” and evidence showed that the “actions of certain professionals” had “breached well-established principles of good practice”.

“Almost all the professionals and agencies involved with the children proceeded on the unquestioning basis that the mother was telling the truth, and failed to interrogate that assumption by carrying out basic inquiries,” said Mr Justice MacDonald.

“Had professionals adhered to well-established guidance and procedure they would have discovered that the allegations lacked credibility.”

He said child abuse was a “terrible reality” and child welfare professionals had to be constantly vigilant.

But he said false allegations of abuse were also a reality and added: “It is essential that this professional vigilance is allied firmly to the rigorous application of practice and procedure designed to ensure the proper investigation of allegations of abuse if injustices are to be avoided.”

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