Freedom to Care                                                                                                                                              Return to INDEX

December 2002

Cardiff Whistleblower

Chris Clode

There is a crisis in public services in Wales. An Audit Commission Review in July of all public services in the Principality found social services provision "worrying". Six out of eight councils jointly reviewed were "struggling" with prospects "judged as less than promising". From North Wales to South Wales, the protection of children and vulnerable adults by Local Authorities and Health Trusts is coming increasingly under scrutiny as more whistleblowers emerge. FtC has long been involved in supporting whistleblower Andy Sutton in North Wales. Now child abuse whistleblowers Charles Faber and Neil White in Cardiff Social Services, South Wales, have both been sacked for refusing to be intimidated into silence.

Freedom to Care has been supporting one whistleblower who has been blowing the whistle on serious allegations of abuse involving professionals in the Cardiff area. As a result of his evidence, already a nurse has been disciplined and dismissed. Other evidence supports allegations that staff in the voluntary sector are having sexual relationships with children and then denying information to parents about their whereabouts. People openly admitting they are involved with rent boys and drugs in the city and with child prostitution links in Central Europe have been mixing with staff in one unit for vulnerable young people. Evidence shows that there has been an acceptance at managerial level that "plenty of people have relationships with patients".

FtC members have supported this particular whistleblower (who currently prefers to remain anonymous) in meetings with the Children's Commissioner in Wales and child protection agencies and have been assisting him in preparing an affadavit of his extensive evidence. In a recent letter from Welsh Assembly Minister, Jane Hutt, in ‘Community Care’ magazine, she claimed "my commitment is to ensure that we … raise standards across all aspects of social care and health in Wales." Perhaps she could start by ensuring that whistleblowers against abuses within social care are not harassed, bullied and sacked, but are listened to by her and her Assembly colleagues.

FtC has been writing to her and Rhodri Morgan, First Minister in Wales for over four years about abuses across Wales and she has to take responsibility for their inaction.

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