Deputy Jackie Hilton

AN emotional States Deputy has claimed that her concerns about child abuse within a family were ‘snubbed’ by Social Services three years before the father was jailed for abusing his daughters.

Deputy Jackie Hilton almost broke down as she gave a speech in favour of holding a committee of inquiry into the management of Health and Social Services and the protection of vulnerable children – a proposition that was lost by 30 votes to 20 in the States this morning, with one abstention. The Deputy said that she had come into contact with the family about four years ago and had raised concerns with social workers.

The report accompanying the call for the inquiry cites the same case, stating that the family had been referred to social services 19 times over 21 years over allegations of sexual abuse, domestic violence and neglect. But when the mother of the children died, they were left in the sole care of the father – despite a 2005 psychologist’s report saying that he represented a danger to children.

And Deputy Hilton added that even after the father was charged with abuse, there had been no serious case inquiry within Social Services about how things had gone so wrong. She is now formally applying for an internal inquiry to be carried out.

The proposition for a committee of inquiry was tabled by the Health, Social Security and Housing Scrutiny panel, led by Senator Alan Breckon. Ministers fought against it, saying that work to improve Social Services was already going on and that an inquiry would delay it.