International Day of the Child : Police Enquiry Now

Vigil Launches Petition for Police Enquiry into Children’s Services

30 people will meet at Cardiff City Hall tomorrow and march to the Welsh Parliament for a limited and socially distanced vigil. Those taking part will push empty prams to symbolise children being taken from families and put into the care system in Wales.

Neil McEvoy MS, Leader of the Welsh Nation Party will lead the families on the march.

Neil McEvoy MS said,

” Wales takes far more children into care than any other country in the UK. Why is this? A large amount of my caseload is full of families in distress, who have not been helped by children’s services departments. Forced adoption is particularly cruel.

Over the years I have seen a worrying pattern develop, with young mothers turning up to my office in states of pure devastation. One poor girl tried to take her own life recently after losing her children.

I used to believe there were always good reasons for taking children into care. I can honestly say to the public that I now know this not to be the case. The most appalling errors are made and are not corrected. I have two cases on my books of mistaken identity for example. One was rectified, one was one not.

I have evidence of lies being told in court and it does not get much more serious than that. I have evidence of false positive drug tests which have been used to keep children away from their families.  I appreciate the lack of resource, the pressure, the overwork of social workers, but I have too many cases of falsehoods being represented as fact. When I have evidenced the errors, the authorities have taken little notice. That is what has shocked me. We have tremendous people in the service area, but we have bad apples. There can be no other answer.

I have come to the conclusion that we need a special police operation in Wales to look at these cases in detail. Children and families are being torn apart for no good reason. I want those responsible held to account. I believe in the long term, we will look back with shame as a nation at what is happening right now.

We cannot ignore the profit motive and those private companies are making fortunes from children being taken into. Some companies are based in offshore tax-havens. I am so concerned that I have asked the Senedd to allow me to use my research budget to look at these matters.

I’m marching in solidarity with people who love their children tomorrow and I am acting as a voice for those who are not allowed to have one.  We need a police enquiry and we need it now.