Oldham Council Ignores Abuse Referrals: Children Harmed

Oldham's child social services have been accused of significant failures, notably ignoring 37 referrals for a 10-year-old boy known as Abdur. This child was hospitalized in February 2022 with life-threatening malnutrition and scurvy, yet returned home to his mother, a drug addict. Teachers had reported concerning signs like rapid weight loss and mouldy food.

This case is part of a disturbing pattern in Oldham, which has the highest rate of child abuse in the country, with 146 cases per 10,000 children. In December 2021, Dylan Scanlon was murdered by his mother after multiple ignored referrals. Preston Davey was also killed and sexually abused in July 2023 by his adoptive teacher.

A local councillor described the child services' inaction as "terrible," attributing it to high staff turnover. Despite these critical issues, Oldham council stated that child safety is their highest priority and that reviews are underway for each case, with lessons being learned and acted upon. The government has vowed to hold negligent individuals accountable.