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Independent review will be held into Salma’s case
• WE were all extremely saddened by the death of Salma ElSharkawy and her keyworker in a tragic car crash.
Our deepest sympathy goes out to both families and everyone who knew and cared for them. It was clear from Salma’s memorial service last week that she was well loved and touched the lives of so many friends and residents in the community.
When a child is taken into care it is an extremely difficult decision for all involved – parents, children and social workers. In every instance this happens as the very last resort and with the best interests of the child at the centre.a
In Salma’s case the court decided it would be in her best interests to take her into care.
After the death of any child in care there is always a full investigation. We have also decided to hold an independent review into her case, with the independent reviewer being appointed in September.
In the meantime we are offering the family as much support as they want and need during this very difficult time.
CLLLR JOHN BYRANT
Executive Member for Children
Camden Council
Who cares?
• I AM distressed to read your article concerning the death of Salma ElSharkawy while in the care of Camden social services and the ensuing trauma and torment to her family.
Social services do not care. Why should they? They are responsible to no one.
After my son was taken into care, the court ruled that he should receive therapy for his precocious sexual awareness, widely acknowledged by the social services. They even told me that they believed a woman was involved, but they did nothing. Throughout 43 hearings they covered up this known abuse of my child by perjury and falsification of evidence.
The “professionals” were not interested: they did not dare investigate. Until my son exposed the abuse to the child protection team, it was neatly buried. His sentence was to be sent to four new foster carers and three children’s homes where he was further assaulted. Nobody wanted to know. My daughter has tried three times to kill herself.
For some reason, the court warned me not to seek a public inquiry. Who will expose the wrongdoings of these unaccountable demi-gods?
Name and address supplied
Little angel
I AM ever so grateful to the Camden New Journal for this (Tragedy of an ‘NW5 Runaway’, July 19). Only Allah can reward you for this favour. You got the little angel’s voice heard at last.
Thanks so much.
WALID ELSHARKAWY
Poor system
• MY heart goes out to the parents and family of this child.
It is brave and forthright of you to highlight the peculiarities of the child care system in this borough.
I cannot, however, agree with your sympathies regarding the pressure and overwork of social services. Child care is a highly politicised and well-paid career structure and that is its failing. It was just as exhausting and not nearly as well rewarded in the days before procedure took place over common sense.
These parents extremely wisely asked for help from a system overloaded with professionals and bursting at the seams with provision and access only by entry from these professionals.
Instead, the well-worn route was immediately trodden.
If as adults we are proven to be faulty or neglectful the child is then used to fulfil targets and keep the system running. The cruel cliché emotional abuse is wheeled out. The sad reality is that it is actually those who do not provide, but who sit at meetings and nod their heads and say they do, who actually are guilty of emotional abuse.
The children enter the professionals’ field and those desperate to enter the professional elite will say what they want with very little proof and it will become part of the court system.
The fault with the family courts is not that the hearings need to be public. The fault is that the whole system leading up to the evidence filed before our justice system is corrupt.
The elite few enter an ante-chamber and come out with a fait accompli by strenuous secret telephone calls and meetings behind the families’ backs. Affidavits are filed to which there can be no challenge unless you have remarkably rare legal help.
The only answers to this are “documents of fact”, which one is told must be brief.
In order to exact the result from the family court a process of lies and intimidation is used to frighten families and further disturb emotionally needy children and young people.
The service, which is extremely well funded and supported by training from government, does not support our children nor does it help families. It is an elite professional structure actually destroying those it is set up to help. The family courts merely rubber stamp this appalling process which needs investigation and dismantling.
CHRISTINE BRODY
Steele’s Road, NW3
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