Lambeth Council resist calls to include Brixton children's home in abuse compensation scheme

[IwantToRetire]

BLACK WOMEN who say they were raped at a council-sponsored children’s home in the 1970s, 80s and 90s have vowed to continue their protests after “heavy-handed” police broke up a protest.

Former residents of the all-Black Melting Pot care home in Brixton, south London, some of whom are now of retirement age, were grappled by cops at Lambeth town hall earlier this month.

The head of a group demanding justice for victims of abuse told The Voice they are determined to continue their protests as they seek compensation for historic sexual abuse.

Over 30 victims are angry that Lambeth Council has excluded the Melting Pot – which operated between 1970 to 1991 – from an existing compensation scheme because even though the council placed children there, and provided some of its funding, it was not officially council-run.

Documents have emerged purporting to show details of the financial arrangements between the town hall and the care home, which was run by a convicted fraudster, Ashton Gibson, who has since died.

The council have refused pleas over the last three years to include Melting Pot victims in the Lambeth Redress Scheme, which has paid out over £100 million to sex abuse victims who lived at Shirley Oaks care home.

Full story here https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/uk-news/2023/05/16/child-rape-victims-vow-to-continue-justice-fight-after-council-call-cops/

I am not posting this to necessarily start a debate about what happened and how Lambeth Council (and the police) let it happen.

I am posting because I am sick and tired and angry that somehow in the UK, based on some meaningless rule, even when people are recognised as victims of gross abuse, some get compensation and some dont.

The Council placed these young people in a dangerous situation. They deserve compensation as has already been agreed for other victims.

Not only do we have institutional failures throughout systems that are meant to be part of the running the country, but they put much effort into finding escape clauses even after accept they were at fault.

I agree. In the mid 90s I knew a great Lambeth Councillor who pushed and pushed to get the Council to acknowledge and deal with the care home scandal. It is awful that the injustice done to these girls, who were in Council care, still have not had justice.

So many people to blame but no one will step up and take responsibility which is why abuse continues. Is there anything we can do?

Disgraceful behaviour by the council. Hiding behind technicalities.

Can you imagine being an employee of Lambeth Council and having to say this to survivors:

Lambeth council say Melting Pot was not included in the Redress Scheme because although they placed children in the home and provided some funding to the home, it operated as a private voluntary organisation so the council were not responsible.

Does that mean that any council who uses a voluntary organisation for some part of their service, can never be held accountable?

They are morally responsible and are hiding behind a cowardly legal argument about who is technically responsible. It's awful.

Is there any kind of plan to try to find alternative funding to provide support to the victims? A charity fundraiser that could be donated to?

Publicity is what they need - if you know any journalists? TV, ideally. This sorry story has got "local news segment" written all over it.

I could only find the https://www.shirleyoakssurvivorsassociation.co.uk/ which is the group of children who were abused but have got compensation (it horrid just to write that as if money made up for what happened to them).

And although they talk about the other hostel no up to date info.

I wonder if they have approached the Evening standard (London wide paper) or local tv news.