Islington Council has refused to pay an alleged abuse survivor, claiming there is no evidence she was in one of its children’s homes – even though she has photos and witnesses.
The woman, now in her 50s, says she was neglected in two Islington children’s homes in the 1980s, where children smoked, drank and used drugs with staff members’ knowledge.
When she fell pregnant on their watch, she says the staff then tried to force her to get an abortion.
But when she applied to the Islington Support Payment Scheme, set up to help survivors of widespread abuse in the borough’s children’s homes, the council said there was insufficient evidence Zara - not her real name - had been in their care
Dr Liz Davies, a whistleblowing former Islington social worker whose decades of campaigning led to the fund’s creation, blasted the “ridiculous” decision.
Dr Davies, founder of the Islington Survivors Network (ISN), said she help Zara compile and submit her application, which included photos of her inside one children’s home with staff and other residents.
A witness has also told the Islington Gazette that she was Zara’s roommate in one of the children’s homes and had already informed the scheme of this before Zara was rejected.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Annabelle, whose name has also been changed. “She was there. I mentioned her on two different occasions. I mentioned in my application the things we would get up to and how Zara would protect me.
“It’s just crazy. There are other people who know her and know she was there too.”
Annabelle said she was with Zara in two children’s homes: 11-12 Highbury Crescent, then 80 Highbury New Park.
Islington Council would not comment on Zara's case.
“We are having to spill out all our traumas, only for them to reject us,” said Zara.
“I had a panic attack and hyperventilated when I found out. It’s traumatising to be subjected to all this – to go back over what’s happened to you, only for them to slap you in the face and still keep insulting you time and time again. It’s upsetting.
“All of this has brought back memories for me. It’s very emotionally draining. I’m waiting for a doctor’s appointment because I’m not sleeping properly. Sometimes I’m sitting in my house and I get very tearful because it’s all resurfacing.
“The most hurtful part is that the proof is all in there. I included photos. They’ve clearly not even looked at my application.”
Dr Davies helped Zara apply for her council records before applying to the scheme, but when they were supplied, said Zara, the contents were “almost completely missing”.
“I was in the homes for four years and my file was about four pages,” she said.
“There was no mention of her being in the children’s homes in her file,” said Dr Davies. “So I knew I really had to prove it.
“I attached photos of her in her room, with the manager, nursing her newborn baby with other residents and even standing outside the front door with the number 80 on it.”
But in December, Zara was told her application had been rejected.
“I wrote to the lawyers straight away and said, ‘There must be a mistake here, I sent you all the photographs’,” said Dr Davies.
“Then I remembered another survivor had mentioned Zara in her own statement and already been paid out.
“So this is a failure on their part, in my view. But instead of pulling back and apologising, they said, ‘We know it’s disappointing but she will soon hear from the appeal panel’.”
“It’s not about the money,” said Zara. “It’s about getting justice for things that people feel like they’ve gotten away with.”
More of our stories on the Islington Council child abuse scandal:
- ‘My brother and I were both abused by the same paedophile - but Islington Council will only pay one of us’
- Roger Moody: The north London paedophile who kept getting jobs with children
-
‘Children’s home neglect left me at the mercy of a paedophile’, says Met Police officer
Zara, who was in the homes in the 1980s, said she was still dealing with the consequences.
“It was mainly neglect,” she alleged. “We were left on our own. When you were in a predicament, there was no one there for you.
“Kids would be smoking, drinking, taking drugs. I was afraid of taking drugs so I didn’t do it, but used to drink alcohol. The staff would see us and do nothing. They’d even take us to the pub.
“At the time it seemed great, but it wasn’t. I’m grown now but I still have issues in my life because I didn’t get the guidance I needed when I was young.”
Left to her own devices by the staff, said Zara, she fell pregnant as a teenager.
“They tried to force me to have a termination,” she claimed. “I wanted to have my child but they keep taking me to a clinic in Euston, even though I didn’t want to go.
“I think maybe they wanted me to have a termination because I fell pregnant in their care. It was evidence of their neglect.”
Zara said she would fight against her rejection to inspire others to do the same.
“It’s not right and it’s not fair,” she said. “I don’t see why they should get away with it..
“I’ve always been the one that’s quiet and just expected to take everything on the chin, but I’m not doing that. This life has taught me to be strong.
“There are other people out there far worse off than me and if this is how they’re going to treat them too, it’s not right.”
Islington Council sent a lengthy statement but it did not address Zara's case. It reiterated the council's apology for past abuse in its children's homes and said its support scheme remained open to applications.
For more information, visit www.islingtonsupportpayment.co.uk.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here