Wrongly accused mother slams 'incompetent' council (From Western Telegraph)

Wrongly accused mother slams 'incompetent' council

A mother-of-four, wrongly accused of being a child abuser, has called for the resignation of two of Pembrokeshire County Council's top officers.

The woman, who says she and her family have been through almost three years of hell, insists that social services director Jon Skone and education director Gerson Davies should resign.

She claims her children's special needs were simply ignored.

She has consulted solicitors about taking the education authority to court over its alleged lack of action and is also seeking legal advice about suing the county council for damages.

Ombudsman Adam Peat found the county council guilty of 'repeated, prolonged and serious maladministration' in the way social workers dealt with an investigation.

It ended with the woman's children being wrongly placed on the 'at risk' register.

The Ombudsman's report vindicates the mother - given the pseudonym of Mrs Price - and recommends the council pay her £5,000 in recognition of the severe distress and damage to her reputation, and also to apologise to her children.

"Because of the council's actions, my children and I have suffered irrevocable damage," she said.

"We have been stigmatised and ostracised from the small community in which we live. I have lost my business and my children suffered distress and humiliation."

In his report, the Ombudsman describes the actions of social services officers as 'grossly insensitive', 'incompetent' and 'unacceptable'; the council's complaints procedure as 'procedurally flawed' and said an unreasonable decision was taken to place the children on the 'at risk' register.

To reduce the risk of a similar injustice happening to another family, he recommends that the council should carry out a formal review, with external assistance, of the lessons learned from the events. This should be done no later than June 2005.

Council leader John Davies said this would be carried out and added: "Although we do have some reservations, it is clear that there were errors in procedure which should not have occurred. Many changes have been made."

l Mrs Price's case was featured in ITV's Wales This Week' investigation, and a follow-up programme, in which the Ombudsman and the children's commissioner will participate, can be seen on January 20th.

Mrs Price, who also plans to sue Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust for alleged medical negligence, has praised MP Jackie Lawrence for her support throughout her ordeal. "She was the first person I went to and I thank her for her friendship and help."

Following the Ombudsman's report, Jackie Lawrence has asked the children's commissioner for Wales Peter Clark to conduct an assessment of the council's children's services.

Mrs Price also claims she was told by the council that she must not discuss the case with third parties, including her MP.

Jackie Lawrence, who is raising this matter with the Speaker of the House of Commons, said: "It seems to me to be an attempt by the council to interfere with the workings of democracy if they have tried to prevent you from discussing your concerns with your MP."