Report Into Care Home Discovered Failings In Services

A series of failings in social work and care services was discovered by a report into an Aberdeen care home where a woman was sexually assaulted, it has emerged. The report, which was released by the North East of Scotland Child Protection Committee (NESCPC), found the attack in 2005 – and others – could have been prevented.

It criticised professionals for failing to complete a risk assessment and put a protection strategy in place. The NESCPC said this could have highlighted the “inappropriate and sexualised” behaviour of the young woman’s attacker, who was then 17 and has learning difficulties. He sexually assaulted another resident in the three years leading up to the assault.

The abuse happened at the Archway Respite Care and Housing home in Aberdeen. The man, referred to in the report as AB, later faced criminal proceedings. He was placed on the sexual offenders register and given two years’ probation with the condition he lived at secure accommodation in England. The report makes 24 recommendations directed at a number of agencies. These include Aberdeen City Council’s social work and education departments, Archway and the NESCPC itself. Concerns were raised over an 11-year period about the young man’s “inappropriate and overtly sexualised behaviour”.

The report concluded there was a “lack of appropriate action” by the professionals involved in his care. It states: “As a result, AB’s inappropriate and sexualised behaviour towards adults, children and young people appears to have gone unchecked despite apparent awareness by many of those involved in his care, education and health about the risk that he posed.”

Agencies were further criticised for the “significant delay” in informing police about the offence and other alleged offences. Recommendations include implementing a system for dealing with inappropriate behaviour by young people or children.

Grampian Chief Constable Colin McKerracher, chair of the NESCPC, said: “The importance of this case now is that we acknowledge that these children, young people and their families have been let down and that we do our best to prevent this from happening again.”

An Archway spokesman said it regretted the circumstances surrounding the incident. He added that since then they had addressed and rectified their weaknesses.

An Aberdeen City Council spokesman said: “On the council’s part it is clear that opportunities to review information, assess risk and seek specialist services were missed.”