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Protection worker told to “Let girls go” to abusers in Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal (17 April 2015)

Date: 17/04/2015
Duncan Lewis, Personal Injury Solicitors, Protection worker told to “Let girls go” to abusers in Rotherham child sexual exploitation scandal

A protection worker turned whistleblower who repeatedly tried to stop young girls in care in Rotherham being handed to men to be sexually abused has said that on one occasion she was told to hand the girls over rather try and stop the abuse.

Sky News reports that the whistleblower – named only as Helen – worked in most of the children’s homes in Rotherham over a 17-year period.

She told Sky News in an exclusive interview that when she alerted senior staff about men frequently waiting outside children’s care homes to take girls away with them, she was told, “Let them go!”

Helen said she even approached the men herself and told them: “They are children. You’re not having them.”

She added that one of the girls pleaded with her not to let her go.

The men also once told Helen: “The longer you f

g well delay this, the more we'll take it out on her.”

During her 17 years working in local authority children’s homes in Rotherham, Helen said that she submitted several written reports warning her managers that underage girls were being drugged and raped by men who were taking them away from the homes.

She said she was treated “like a thorn in the authority’s side” and her warnings were ignored.

She told Sky News:

“It was like letting them out to be raped ... When I rang up a senior officer who was on call – when I needed advice about these Asian men coming to the units taking the children – she just said, 'Open the door and let them go.'

“Because I told the truth and I stuck up for the children and I was a proper child protection worker, I was too much of a problem for them. They were hiding everything,” Helen said.

After she issued warnings, she said she was sacked by Rotherham Council after she reported to the police that she had found paedophile images on her former partner's computer.

Rotherham Council sacked after it was also discovered she had stored images of some of the girls from a children's home – which were innocent – on the same computer.

Helen says that she still suffers after her experiences in child protection and her treatment by Rotherham Council.

The council said says it followed an “appropriate” process regarding Helen's dismissal and added: “A great deal of hard work is now taking place to address weaknesses in children's services”.

Helen said her treatment and experiences have at times driven her close to suicide.

“It made me feel worthless. I didn't want to be here.

“I felt awful that those children were left under their care and I had done nothing wrong.”


Duncan Lewis Personal Injury Solicitors – No win no fee Sexual and Physical Abuse Claims

Duncan Lewis is one of the UK’s leading no win no fee personal injury solicitors and can advise survivors of sexual and physical abuse on how to make a compensation claim, including claims relating to historic cases of sexual abuse or physical abuse.

In cases where a criminal investigation has taken place and a conviction obtained, it is possible to claim under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.

Claims for sexual and physical abuse can also be made in the civil courts – including claims relating to historic cases of sexual or physical abuse where there is sufficient evidence.

For expert legal advice on no win no fee Sexual and Physical Abuse Claims, call Duncan Lewis personal injury solicitors in confidence on 020 7923 4020.


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