An independent inquiry into child sexual abuse has found that hundreds of vulnerable children in the care of Lambeth council in south London endured horrendous cruelty and sexual abuse over several decades on a scale that was 'hard to comprehend'. The investigation by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) identified more than 700 allegations of sexual abuse against hundreds of staff and individuals connected to just three council-run children's homes, with the true scale likely far higher.
The report concludes that Lambeth council allowed violence and sexual assault to flourish in its residential homes, failed to act against known abusers, and neglected to tackle a brutal, harsh, and punitive culture. For many children, the experience in council care was worse than living with their birth families. The council employed staff it knew posed a risk, failed to investigate suspected abusers, and exposed children to situations where abuse was likely.
The effect on victims was devastating. One witness, known as LA-A309, stated: 'I felt from an early age that my feelings were inconsequential or of little value and that my pain didn’t matter. It was clear from an early age that no one really cared about me.' Over 40 years, only one senior employee was disciplined, though six perpetrators were convicted between 1994 and 2019.
IICSA has recommended that the Metropolitan police investigate the death of a child known as LA-A2, found dead in a bathroom at Shirley Oaks home in 1977. The council failed to inform the coroner that the child had alleged sexual abuse by a staff member. The report also criticises Ofsted and its predecessors for failing to identify serious failings, and the Metropolitan police for not properly linking offenders across separate investigations.
Lambeth council leader Claire Holland apologised, stating: 'The council was responsible for their care and protection but failed, with profound consequences. The council is deeply sorry for their experiences.' The report is scathing of the council's 'progressive' culture in the 1980s, noting that racism was evident, with the majority of children in care being black, and that political chaos, bullying, and mismanagement contributed to the systemic abuse.
