Posted 23rd February 2004
The following article appeared in The Big Issue (9th -15th Feb)
"The Care Leavers Association (CLA) has voiced concerns tha investigations into the convictions of 100 former carers and teachers for child abuse is pandering to powerful supporters of an organisation that is trying to "smear" care leavers. Last week a conviction against a care worker Anver Daud Sheikh was quashed by the Court of Appeal. The Criminal Case Review Commission and Historical Abuse Appeal Panel are now investigating other cases.
Phil Frampton, a member of the CLA, criticised the move. "we are all in favour of justice," he said but the law has bowed to the powerful supporters of F.A.C.T. (Falsely Accused Carers and Teachers), an organisation that is smearing care leaver's cries for justice as being driven by greed. After the horrors of the Soham case and the revelation that thousands of adults in this country finance paedophile web sites, the Government should be pressing for more child abusers to be put before the Courts.
Note: We shall be writing to the CLA and The Big Issue pointing out that FACT is not trying to smear care leavers. FACT accepts that some young people in care have been abused by their carers and teachers but believes the extent to which this has happened has been exaggerated. All we ask is that care leavers accept that sometimes false allegations are made, and that in these circumstances the falsely accused and/or wrongly convicted are entitled to seek justice. We shall also point out that F.A.C.T .does not permit anyone into its membership who is found in possession of child pornography.