Birmingham Council Condemns Child Abuse, Calls for National Inquiry

Birmingham's council has faced a shocking reality, with councillors sharing disturbing examples of child victims of abuse being ignored or their experiences diminished by officials. Councillor Sam Forsyth, a former Labour member who now represents Quinton as an Independent, has spoken out against the systemic failures that have allowed this abuse to persist. Forsyth, who has worked on cases in Telford, Nottingham, and Oxford, expressed the depth of the problem, stating, "I've heard every single excuse in the book... It is never excusable. Children are children."

Forsyth welcomed the recommendations of an audit by Baroness Louise Casey, which identified a "deep-rooted failure to treat children as children." She praised the plan's proposals, including closing the legal loophole that allows children under 16 to be sent to sex with adults. However, Forsyth emphasized that a cultural shift is needed, urging all sectors of society to recognize children as children, rather than sexual beings. She emphasized, "The culture has to change... And it is changing."

Key Takeaways:

• Cllr Sam Forsyth shared disturbing examples of child victims of abuse being ignored or their experiences diminished by officials, highlighting the systemic failures that have led to this abuse.
• Forsyth has worked on cases in Telford, Nottingham, and Oxford, and emphasized that "children are children," and it is never excusable for adults to harm them.
• The council welcomed the recommendations of an audit by Baroness Louise Casey, which identified a "deep-rooted failure to treat children as children" and proposed closing the legal loophole that allows children under 16 to be sent to sex with adults.
• Forsyth called for a cultural shift, urging all sectors of society to recognize children as children, rather than sexual beings, and emphasized that institutions must change to protect the vulnerable.
• The council committed to collaborate with and support the national inquiry, ensuring victims have access to support services and free legal advice.
• The council pledged to review its existing strategy on child exploitation and make improvements ahead of national changes.

Statistics:

• There is no specific statistic mentioned in the provided text; however, it highlights the importance of addressing the systemic failures that have allowed child abuse to persist.

Sources:

• [Cllr Sam Forsyth, Birmingham councillor, speaking in a council debate]
• [Baroness Louise Casey's audit recommendations, referred to in the debate]