The Two Faces of Thailand; Child Trafficking for the Sex Trade in Thailand

Thailand

What springs to mind when someone mentions Thailand?

Beautiful beaches, clear waters, stunning temples with almost unbelievable architecture?

For me, the thought of Thailand conjures up a very different image.

The modern face of Thailand

A vast country, with once proud roots, I was inspired to use Thailand as a location for my latest novel. Titled Caught in Traffick, the book centres on the complex and dangerous world of child sex trafficking in Thailand. I chose Thailand, due to its reputation as a sink hole of depravity. A reputation, which in my opinion, is well-deserved.

Human Trafficking – An Overview

The trafficking of human beings is not a new problem. It dates back many millennia and continues to grow at an alarming level. Trafficking takes many forms; adults are trafficked for many reasons, including; the sex trade, forced labour, illegal organ donation, forced marriage, debt bondage, and domestic servitude.

Girls who are little more than children are sold into the sex trade

Children are trafficked for the child sex trade, forced labour and illegal adoptions. They are also recruited and forced to serve in lesser known schemes, such as illicit sports and gambling activities. Children are also recruited for children’s armies where, amongst other things, they serve as dispensable suicide bombers. Unbelievable but true.

A young girl recruited into someone's personal army

Conservative estimates put the figure of adults and children currently enslaved by human trafficking at an astonishing 29 million; 27% of this number are children.  Human trafficking has now surpassed the sale of illegal arms in terms of criminal activity, and is a growing international problem surpassed only by the drug trade. It is big business for those involved, generating over $10 billion in illegal revenue. The laws currently in place to protect victims are numerous and complex. Statistic vary, but it is agreed that few perpetrators are brought to justice. A 2007 US State Department report put the figure at approximately 1 in 800 people.

Child Sex Trafficking in Thailand

While I am aware that children are sexually exploited the world over; there are few places on earth that they are more vulnerable and less protected by their own Government than in Thailand.

Young girls on the street approached by a punter

The children’s charity The Sold Project estimates that there are around 60,000 children involved in the commercial sex trade in Thailand*.

Girls outside a sex club await "clients"

Thailand’s reputation as a place where one can go and indulge in sexual activity with children with little chance of redress, makes it a magnet for paedophiles.  Those responsible for supplying these depraved men (or women) with their wretched victims are well-organised, cunning and arrogant. Safe in the knowledge that to avoid prosecution, all that is required is a well-placed bribe; they continue their heinous trade unchecked and unchallenged. The children come from a variety of sources. Poor local families who have debts, which they can never hope to repay, are often forced to sell their children to these gangs. Other parents believe that their children are going to a better life, with an education or a job prospect. This is almost never the case.

The streets teem with sex workers

Less common, is the abduction of children who are then forced into prostitution. Some of these children are those of holiday makers, and while rare, it does happen. There are an average of seven non Thai children a year who are kidnapped in Thailand. Whether the children are locally sold, or dramatically abducted, a similar fate awaits them all.

A high percentage of the ill-fated children will be sold into prostitution and while prostitution is officially illegal in Thailand, it is estimated that the trade is worth around $6.4 billion per annum, making it an essential part of the Thai economy.

Bright lights and sex workers

Many children will die in service to the gangs who own them. Many contract sexually transmitted diseases, which are not treated. Others will die from botched abortions, while some will die from violence at the hands of their captors or clients.  Many children are simply thrown out on the streets once they have outlived their usefulness. Unable to survive alone, they soon succumb to hunger, cold and illness.

Government Response

Corruption and organised crime undermine even the best anti-trafficking efforts; so, why don’t the Government and the police do something about it?

Sex worker being questioned

Consider that at the time of writing, the average police officer in Thailand earns approximately £163 per MONTH at entry level, rising to only £350 a month for a more senior officer. In addition, they have to buy their own uniform, guns, and even bullets! It is small wonder they lack motivation, and have a reputation for being corrupt and easy to bribe.

Pattaya Police Station

A 2008 article in The Economist noted;

 “In Thailand’s most sensational crimes, the prime suspects are often the police”.

Some efforts have been made;

In 2015, the Government brought charges against 34 officials, including those in mid to high posts. The Government also investigated five cases where officials accepted bribes. It is a start, but it is nowhere near enough.

The Government’s efforts to protect potential victims of trafficking are inadequate. In 2015, 720 people were identified as at risk from trafficking. This in a country where tens of thousands of people are trafficked; it is a drop in the ocean. One of the main problems is the sheer volume of people pouring into Thailand from such a wide diversity of other countries. With migrants from Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Burma, China, North Korea, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Singapore, Russia, The United States and the United Kingdom, it is small wonder that the screening process is ineffectual and failing those most in need of help.

Soldiers patrolling the borders

Smuggling/trafficking camps have been identified on many parts of the Thai border, but given the sheer size of Thailand’s borders; patrolling them effectively, is akin to holding back the tide. Many victims are brought in by sea; with this in mind, the Government do raid fishing boats on a regular basis, but again, it is pathetically insufficient.

Police raiding a fishing boat with slave labour aboard

The Government has few effective resources in relation to dealing with trafficked children. Often separated from their parents in being smuggled over the borders, the children can face years in a holding centre, or deportation. Those unlucky enough to fall into the hands of traffickers can expect to be sold into the sex trade or other labour based slavery.  The Thai police do seem to have maintained an effective cooperation with international law enforcement when child sex cases involve foreign perpetrators. However, the Government fall woefully short of providing a safe environment for the children to give evidence. Often, they are forced to testify in front of the alleged perpetrators, and have to give their personal details, which leaves them and their families open to retribution and retaliation from the gangs.

Vulnerable children are put at risk by having to testify in front of the perpetrators

In terms of prevention, the Government refused entry to over 500 known sex offenders in 2015, compared to only 98 the previous year. In that at least, a modicum of progress was made. They also organised some training for officials and those in the tourist industry in relation to child trafficking and its prevention. The Government also report having a surveillance agency of trained operatives who are placed in high risk areas of child sex trafficking, and who supposedly report to the police. However, as we have already seen, corruption is such, that for a few hundred baht, many crimes will go unchallenged and unpunished.  

Government anti-trafficking advert

From the above, we can see that the Thai Government are making a few efforts to bring perpetrators to justice, but their efforts continue to be hampered by gangs of organised crime. Thailand was at one time on the lowest tier, imposed by the US Government – tier 3 – in relation to the efforts it was making in relation to human trafficking. Tier 3 status could trigger non-trade related sanctions and is viewed as very serious. In 2016, the US Government lifted the tier 3 rating, lifting it to tier 2. This was met with protests from Human Rights groups, who say the action was politically motivated and did nothing to address the issues of trafficking, which is still rife, especially in the fishing and sex industries.

Caught in Traffick – The Novel

It is against this backdrop of corruption and perversion that my novel Caught in Traffick is set.

The book is the sequel to my best selling debut book, Known to Social Services, and sees the main character, social worker Diane Foster caught up in a complex and frightening web of criminal exploitation of the worst kind. 

Book Festival Section winner and prequel to Caught in Traffic, my debut book, Known to Social Services

Focusing mainly on the kidnap of two European children, Caught in Traffick aims to highlight the issue of child trafficking for the sex trade. I also draw attention to the marked differences between the abduction of European children and the ensuing media drama, against the almost unacknowledged disappearance of local children, who elicit an apathetic response.

For research purposes, I read extensively and spoke to people who work in anti-trafficking organisations. Their insight was invaluable. The Internet is of course a mine of information and I found dozens of useful websites. From children's charities, who are dedicated to the eradication of child trafficking, to UK Government Agencies who combat the problem from a criminal perspective; all went towards building the picture and helped with the emerging storyline. 

As a qualified child protection social worker I am more than aware of the issues which are faced by many of the world’s children. While Caught in Traffick is a novel, I am acutely aware that this is an all too horrifically real issue for tens of thousands of children. It is my heartfelt hope that through the medium of writing, I can bring some additional attention and action to this hideous practice.

Caught in Traffick is available from Amazon in paperback or Kindle format;

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Caught-Traffick-Freya-Barrington-ebook/dp/B01L80IVJM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1477746177&sr=1-1&keywords=caught+in+traffick

*https://www.thesoldproject.com/child-human-trafficking-thailand/

**http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/countries/2016/258876.htm

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Freya

New Novel Now Available

I am absolutely THRILLED to announce that my long awaited novel CAUGHT IN TRAFFICK is now available from Amazon and other outlets as a paperback and a download. Please follow the link below;

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Caught-Traffick-Freya-Barrington-ebook/dp/B01L80IVJM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472539404&sr=8-1&keywords=caught+in+traffick

The sequel to my debut book Known to Social Services, Caught in Traffick picks up the story of Diane Foster; the social worker who was unfairly vilified for the death of a baby on her caseload. Diane is with her partner Ethan Montana in Thailand on a working holiday when they unwittingly become entangled in a complex and ruthless network of organised crime and child trafficking, which stretches from Bangkok to Pattaya.

The terrifying experiences of the children, and those striving to secure their liberty, provides a gripping and startlingly disturbing glimpse into the world of child trafficking.

Thousands of children worldwide are sold, kidnapped or simply given into the harrowing and frightening world of child trafficking, from which few escape. I wrote Caught in Traffick in the hope that the book will raise awareness and perhaps even challenge people’s views on this most heinous issue.

Thank you for the ongoing support.

www.freyabarrington.com

www.freyabarrington.blogspot.com

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Twitter: @freyabarrington

Freya

Book Information

In Freya Barrington's previous book, 'Known to Social Services', Freya Barrington gave us a frighteningly realistic insight into the harrowing world of the child protection social worker. Based on her own experiences, the book was a revelation and occupied the number one spot for social work books on Amazon UK within weeks of release and went on to win the autobiography/biography/memoir section of the 2015 London Book Festival and received an Honourable Mention at the 2016 Paris Book Festival. 

'Caught in Traffick' is the sequel to 'Known to Social Services', and continues the story of social worker Diane Foster. Set mainly in Thailand; Diane and her partner Ethan are on a working holiday, blissfully unaware of the dangers lurking against the beautiful backdrop of white beaches and glorious monuments. When four-year-old Darcie Taylor is abducted from a crowded beach, Diane and Ethan find themselves sucked into the horrifying world of child trafficking. When Darcie’s abduction is followed closely by the kidnap of another child, there can be no doubt that a well co-ordinated gang is operating in the area. 

A chance meeting with the Director of Social Services Nicholas Bishop leads to a shocking revelation about the man who is still Diane’s most senior manager. Together, they become embroiled in a dangerous web of subterfuge and corruption, where organised crime syndicates and depraved sex offenders engage in a desperate battle of wits against those dedicated to their downfall. Trapped within this labyrinth of immorality are the children, who are sacrificed on the altar of greed and perversion for financial gain. With the gang’s tentacles reaching across to England, Diane is shocked to find herself faced with some old adversaries. With gripping twists and turns, hair-raising rescue attempts and heart breaking tragedies which leave you in despair; 'Caught in Traffick' will open your eyes to the disturbing underground world of child trafficking.

A Taste of Things to Come; a sneaky peek at the first chapter of my forthcoming novel Caught in Traffick

The time fast approaches for the release of my latest novel, Caught in Traffick. While we wait, I thought you might like to get a taste of what’s to come in this fast moving and gripping story of child trafficking in Thailand. Here is a tiny glimpse into Chapter One.

****

The beach at Jomtien, was crowded with tourists doing what tourists do. They sunbathed, swam, drank cocktails, and played with their children on the fine white sands. Screams and shouts of laughter emanated from the banana boats out on the Gulf of Thailand, filled with willing passengers who had paid for the dubious pleasure of being flung off into the warm blue ocean. A string of ponies, sweated in the hot February sun, carrying their cargo of small, equally hot children. No one paid any attention to the old man in the wheelchair, whose feeble demeanour was a signpost of his advanced years. He was simply an old man of no account who had been pushed into a shady spot by his nurse, to enjoy the warmth of the late morning sun. He wore a large straw hat, which obscured his face. Underneath the hat however, the Old Man’s deep set eyes were keen and searching, and the unsuspecting people on the beach could not have guessed the sinister purpose of his presence. Their indifference would be costly, for the Old Man had played this game many times before and was as sharp as he was cunning. 

The Old Man observed the tableau, which played out before him; with his shrewd eye for detail, he already knew where all the main players were situated. He knew the beach well, and had already committed many details of today’s particular scenario to memory. It was with good reason that the Old Man was known to the people who sought him out, as “The Watcher.”

He watched the fishing boats go by as they made their way back to the fishing ports. He watched the waiters making cocktails behind the gaily decorated bars, he watched two lovers kissing on the white sands, mistaken in the notion that they were hidden from view by the garish umbrellas. He watched the hippie types who still came to the area to smoke a little dope, get high and remember the good old days. He watched the parents; but most of all, as a hawk watches its prey, he watched the children.  His seasoned eye was drawn to one family in particular. Two parents with two young children, a blonde haired girl wearing an eye catching pink and white polka dot swimsuit, and a younger boy. Their father was swimming in the sea, leaving mother tending to both children. The Old Man watched and waited, knowing that the opportunity would arise as it always did. It had been over six months since the Old Man had been out hunting like this, and he felt his pulse quicken in anticipation. He had travelled with special purpose from his home in Bangkok, with one thing in mind and now he had it in his sights.

A woman approached from his left hand side; she was a pretty young thing, dressed as a nurse; she attracted as little attention as the Old Man. She said nothing, but bent down to rearrange the blanket over his skinny legs. As she did so, she glanced up at him; “Soon” he whispered in an almost indiscernible voice, “It will be soon, stay close, and be ready.” The woman melted back into the crowds, but her sad eyes stayed constantly on the Old Man. She waited, as he waited; the sweat ran down her back in rivulets betraying the anxiety she felt at her situation.

The minutes ticked by.

Somewhere on the beach, a child cried out in pain. The woman did not turn her head to look; her eyes were fastened on the Old Man, knowing that this could be the moment. The Old Man had heard it of course, but unlike the woman, he fixed his gaze on the unfolding drama on the beach like a hawk on a mouse. The boy had wandered off and fallen; the mother turned, spoke briefly to the girl, and ran to her son. People instinctively turned their heads in the direction of the crying boy, some continued to watch as his mother comforted him, some smiled in sympathy, and no one, but no one had eyes on the girl; no one that is apart from Ruang Sak Yunram. 

****

I hope that has whetted your appetite J

The book is the sequel to my first book Known to Social Services and should be released very soon, possibly before the end of August, but no promises. Caught in Traffick will be available from Amazon as a paperback and a download. It will also be available from certain book stores.

I will of course keep you posted, but you can sign up to follow my blog direct at;

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Freya

A Cautionary Tale

In light of two recent high profile cases; one in the US, and one in the UK, I would like to share a story from social work, which I feel has some parallels to both stories.

The case in the US involved a young white man called Brock Turner. Turner was a young man from a privileged background and was described in the press as an “All American Swimmer”. He was at Stanford College, where one evening during a Fraternity party, he was discovered by two other students on top of an unconscious young woman. He was sexually assaulting her. He ran from the scene, but was tackled by the two young men who had discovered him and held until the police arrived.

The maximum sentence for Turner’s crime was 14 years; he got 6 months and is due for release in 3. His father commented that this was “a steep price to pay for 20 minutes of action”. The case sparked widespread outrage and debate, none of which I am going to enter into here. The point I would like to make is that in ALL societies, there is a huge imbalance when it comes to dealing with people from a different economic class. 

The newspapers were quick to bring to the public’s attention several rape and sexual assault cases where the perpetrators had been from a different economic background, different ethnic group and class – all had received the maximum sentence. Not one had been handed such a lenient sentence as Turner.

The details of the Brock Turner case can be found by following this link;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brock_Turner

The case in the UK tragically involved the death of a six year old girl called Ellie Butler. Ellie was killed by her father who had fought to have her returned to his care after he was released from prison where he had been serving a sentence for inflicting grievous bodily harm on Ellie, when she was only a few weeks old. Ellie had suffered severe brain injuries, but Butler began a media campaign to have Ellie returned to his care.

Astonishingly he won.

He won due to the judge, Mrs Justice Hogg finding in his favour and expressing her “joy” at this “happy ending”. It was not a happy ending for Ellie. She is dead.

Social workers in Ellie’s case did NOT fail her but were thwarted in their attempts to protect her. 

You can read an account of this case by following the link below;

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/jun/22/ellie-butler-judge-took-unwarranted-steps-to-reunite-her-with-violent-parents

The case I would like to share, thankfully does not involve the tragic death of a child, neither does it involve rape or sexual assault. It does however involve a young mother, who like Turner, came from a privileged background. This mother, like Butler, had her two children returned to her care, despite the recommendations of their social worker to the contrary. I was the social worker for these children and this is my account of a frustrating case, which in my opinion was handled differently to other similar cases due to the mother’s perceived “status”.

I will call her *Natalie Smith.

Natalie Smith was a young mother of 28. She had twin sons, *Aaron and *Jake, aged three at the time of my involvement. Natalie came from a wealthy background; she had attended private school and was expected to do well for herself. However, Natalie had developed a problem with alcohol at the age of 16, and had been in and out of private clinics several times – paid for by her parents.

At the age of 24, Natalie had an affair with a TV celebrity, which resulted in her pregnancy with the twins. The father (who was married) wanted nothing to do with her once he discovered she was pregnant, but he offered to support the boys financially. The family declined his offer.

Natalie did not come to the attention of Children’s Services until the twins were six months old. She was discovered passed out in her car on a country lane. She had apparently been on her way to the off licence to buy more alcohol. The children were at home alone and when the police found them, they used their powers to place them in Local Authority foster care and the case was referred to Children’s Services.

The social worker who picked up the case was inexperienced and later stated that she had been somewhat daunted at having a case involving someone “posh”. She was not used to dealing with people of Natalie’s class and had felt intimidated by Natalie and by her formidable parents. Natalie’s family closed ranks, gathered around her and offered support, telling Children’s Services that they would not be needed. They refused to co-operate and in an overworked, understaffed department, the decision was made that Natalie and the boys could be adequately supported by her family. The drunken incident was described as unfortunate, but accepted as a one off. The twins were returned to her care and the case was quickly closed with a note of No Further Action on the file.

Eighteen months later, Natalie was once again found to be intoxicated while caring for the now two-year old boys. The police had to step in again and place the boys in foster care. This time, a Core Assessment was undertaken, which suggested (unsurprisingly) that Natalie needed input from the alcohol team and support from the local Family Centre.

Once again, her parents came forward and stated that Children’s Services were not required, and that this time, they would ensure “round the clock support” for Natalie and the boys. There was no Case Conference, and no application for an Interim Care Order. The boys remained in foster care under S20 of The Children Act, with Natalie’s agreement. The Local Authority did not have parental responsibility for the children, and once again, they went home to Natalie. This time there was some follow up, with home visits and phone calls. Social workers found that there were indeed people at Natalie’s home when they called, but noted that they seemed to do little but drink tea with her. Natalie did not appear to be assuming much responsibility for the boys, leaving them to her friends and family to care for. She did not engage with the alcohol team, but assured the social worker that she had now stopped drinking and was doing much better. Her friends and family all confirmed this, and some even wrote letters of support stating how well Natalie was doing.

The case was closed four weeks after the completion of the Core Assessment, with a note on file that Children’s Services were “Satisfied” that Natalie had appropriate support.

Unbeknown to Children’s Services, the novelty of offering support to Natalie soon wore thin for her friends and family who had better things to do. They stopped visiting, though no one in Children’s Services was aware of this as the case had been closed. In desperation, Natalie’s mother employed a Nanny for the boys, but she quickly left when she discovered that she was expected to assume 100% care for the children until late at night, and that their mother had a serious alcohol problem. A string of Nannies came and went – with Children’s Services still unaware of the growing problem in the home.

When the boys were two and a half, they were discovered in a park running around on their own. The police were called yet again and eventually discovered Natalie under a tree surrounded by four empty bottles of wine. The boys went back into foster care – their third period of time in care in less than two years. For Natalie, nothing had changed. Her parents had now washed their hands of her, and her well to do friends had abandoned her. She was a single mother with a significant alcohol problem, and she was on her own.

At this point, I would like to pause and say that I have known several cases similar to this one, and in every single one, an Initial Child Protection Case Conference was convened to consider the risk to the children. On the second time of mother being intoxicated while caring for the children, an Interim Care Order was sought, and in no case, did the children return to mother’s care if significant changes had not taken place. However, in ALL of the previous cases I had worked, the mother’s came from what would be considered an underprivileged background, were in receipt of benefits and lived a very different kind of life to the one Natalie should have been enjoying.

I became involved as I had been employed by this Local Authority as an agency worker.  My line manager was also an agency worker and a woman of great experience and knowledge. She advised me on my first day that she had a difficult case to allocate to me, and one with a significant history. I was told that Natalie had now engaged with an alcohol programme and was determined to get the twins back again. Natalie was described to me as highly intelligent and incredibly manipulative.

I was told that the current social worker had just been dismissed, as she had been visiting Natalie in the evenings for coffee and had apparently told her, “Don’t you worry Nat, I’ll get your kids back”.

I was the latest in a succession of social workers who had yet to engage with Natalie in any meaningful way.

I reviewed the case from old files, and completed a chronology, which had never been done. What was of startling note was that no one had, at any point, contacted the children’s father. When I made enquiries about why this was, I was told by other social workers that knew about the case, that it was due to his celebrity status! I was also told by other social workers in the team that Natalie “Knew people” and was “Well connected” in the area. I failed to see what this had to do with the wellbeing of the children and commented that this was not 1960’s London under the control of the Krays. However, I did take note of the worrying attitudes surrounding this case, which to me indicated a culture of “Laissez Faire” or leave well alone.

I wrote to Natalie by email in the first instance to introduce myself, and to suggest an office meeting. She wrote back to me almost immediately. Her email was enthusiastic and friendly. She welcomed me as the children’s new social worker and agreed to the meeting. She shortened my name, addressing me as if by nickname. She signed herself Nat.

I wrote again thanking her for responding so quickly. I addressed the email to Ms Smith and signed my full professional name.

The meeting did not go well.

Natalie seemed upset that I did not see things her way, and failed to understand why I would not agree to the children being returned to her care the following day. When I explained to her that I would be undertaking a comprehensive parenting assessment, which would take many weeks of observation and engagement, she became angry. The friendly persona of the email disappeared, and Natalie actually repeated what my colleagues had told me, saying, she “Knew people” and would make sure I lost my job. 

Really?

I had hardly stepped back into the building when my manager called me into her office. Apparently Natalie’s solicitor had sent a tersely worded email to say that Natalie wanted a new social worker as the relationship between us had “broken down”. My manager sensibly wrote back and said that there was no relationship established as yet, and so nothing to “break down”. No replacement social worker would be allocated. The solicitor then wrote again and suggested that I was not qualified to undertake a parenting assessment; he demanded that someone else do the assessment. Again, my manager told him politely that I was more than qualified to undertake a parenting assessment as it was basically what I did for a living.

Natalie then avoided me with avengeance. She refused to attend any meetings with me, and would not allow me to visit the home. I saw the children in foster care on a regular basis, and had no choice, but to write an assessment based on past history, and current issues with input from the foster carers, nursery and a few of Natalie’s friends who agreed to see me. What emerged was a very different picture to the one Children’s Services had been presented with. Natalie had managed very well to hide the reality of her alcoholism, shunning everyone, and relying on paid Nannies to care for the boys. As far as I could make out, she had never in her life had full time care of the children for more than a day or two, before someone had stepped in to offer support.

Natalie was NOT engaged with the alcohol team as she had led us to believe, and as far as I was able to assess, absolutely nothing had changed. I had managed to track down the father, who advised me that he wanted nothing to do with the children or Natalie, so he was out of the picture. Her family had also disowned her, and she had no friends left to rely on.  In light of Natalie’s refusal to work with Children’s Services, I was of the opinion that if the children were to return to her care, history would repeat itself, and they would be at risk of ongoing harm. After several weeks of gathering information, I wrote my recommendations, which were that the children remain in foster care, with a plan to free them for adoption. My manager agreed.

Early the following morning, I had just arrived at work, when I had a phone call from my manager. She was upset, and told me that she had been fired and would not be returning to work. I was stunned and asked why. She said that it was because she had criticised a decision regarding the twins, which I would hear about very soon. She warned me that I could expect some opposition and advised me to be vigilant and “Watch my back”. It was as cryptic a phone call as I had ever received in social work. Mystified, I went about my business, until I was called into the office of the Operations Manager. 

He told me that he had read my report and advised me that I would have to change my recommendations. Puzzled, I asked what I was expected to change. He shuffled about in his seat and looked uncomfortable. He told me that he had been in discussions with very senior management and with other individuals, and that the twins would be returning home to the care of their mother. In light of these discussions, I would need to “Adjust” my report accordingly to reflect this decision. I sat open mouthed, but managed to ask why. He rambled on for a while about Natalie not being given a fair attempt at parenting the children and that this time, she would have an army of support. He then said that Natalie had “strong ties” with certain people in the area who had pledged to assist her. I reminded him, that we had been down this road with her in the past, with round the clock support, and it had not worked, and as such nothing had changed. I asked who these people were and why he thought it would it work this time.

He would not be drawn into a discussion, but told me that an emergency review meeting had been convened, which I was expected to attend in precisely 30 minutes. I would hand out copies of my amended report and recommend that the children return to Natalie’s care forthwith.

It was his turn to be stunned when I refused.

I told him that I had no intention of changing my recommendations as I believed that my assessment was accurate, and my manager had agreed with me. He then told me what I already knew – my manager no longer worked for this department.  I then told him that if he wanted the report changing, he had better find himself another social worker, as I would not do it. I refused to put my name on a document, which would mean placing these children back in a home where I believed they would be at significant risk of ongoing harm.

I then did something I have never done in my career as a social worker, no matter how difficult things had been.

I resigned, right there and then, I resigned.

Before I left, I made an official complaint to the Director of Children’s Services, in regard to the twin’s case and I was subsequently invited to see him. He listened carefully to what I had to say and then told me they were sorry to lose me.  

I do not know what became of Natalie or her children after I left. I sincerely hope that she did succeed in being a parent, but I seriously doubt it.

I have told this story as a cautionary tale; no one, not a social worker, a manager or a Director can afford to be manipulated or swayed simply because of someone’s status, perceived or otherwise. I was horrified at the way Natalie seemed to be able to manipulate the people around her. I never did find out who she “knew” but it smacked of corruption. For me as a professional social worker, I felt bullied and under pressure to change a decision, simply because someone somewhere seemed to be intimidated by Natalie’s contacts. Whatever or whoever it was, it got in the way of the safety of those children, which to me was totally unacceptable.

*All names have been changed

For more information on me and my writing, please visit my website;

www.freyabarrington.com 

Freya