Three members of staff have been suspended after a series of errors gave a disturbed teenager the opportunity to sexually abuse two young children in a family he had been placed with, according to an inquiry report published today.
Social workers and managers concentrated on the 19-year-old's own problems rather than on the risks he posed to the family he was sent to live with, the inquiry found. The team that dealt with the teenager had been naive in not passing on details of the young man's background to the family.
The 19-year-old was jailed indefinitely in February after he admitted the rape and sexual assault of the children. He had been sent to live with the family by Vale of Glamorgan's adult placement service despite a history of sexual behaviour involving children.
The inquiry, carried out by the local authority and overseen by children's charity the NSPCC, found serious mistakes were made.
The report said: "Sadly, in this case there is a strong possibility that the significant harm inflicted on the children … would have been avoided if some staff in social services had worked to the high standards of practice required of them."
When social services had been responsible for the 19-year-old as a child, the risks he posed to others were recognised, shared and managed appropriately. Problems arose when he became an adult and staff were helping him find accommodation. A risk assessment was not carried out despite the written instruction of a senior manager.
"Seen for the most part as a victim in many aspects of his life, he was considered to be the one in need of protection," the report said. "Because of this focus, much of the relevant information was not made available to the parents of the children and to some of the staff involved in making decisions about providing accommodation."
The director of social services at Vale of Glamorgan council, Philip Evans, said he had considered his position but felt the easy option was to resign. The responsible action was to make sure recommendations in the report were implemented.
He said: "We have suspended three members of staff – social workers and managers – and further disciplinary action will follow quickly now we have the inquiry report. Potentially, the consequences to the staff are serious."
After sentencing earlier this year, Cardiff crown court heard that allegations about the teenager's sexual behaviour were first made in 2004, when it was claimed he acted in a sexually inappropriate way to a boy.
In 2005 he was said to have sexually touched a boy while both lived at a hostel in England. Last year he allegedly sexually assaulted a 16-year-old while they were in the same hostel. Despite this he was sent to live with the couple and their children.
The Conservative leader of the council, Gordon Kemp, said: "This is an extremely bleak day for the council. It's an extremely tragic situation, particularly so for the children involved and for their parents. We all want to offer them our sincere apologies for what's happened."
The council's chief executive, John Maitland Evans, was concerned that social services staff did not contact police when the first allegations were made against the 19-year-old. He said: "The parents were left with responsibility for contacting the police. Failure to act by these staff is almost beyond understanding. It's especially sad for us that we let down a family who opened their home to vulnerable people."
Evans said the family were still involved with adult placement provision.
Gwenda Thomas, the deputy minister for social services at the Welsh assembly, expressed her "deep concern" at the case.
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