Storm of controversy as Reform UK councillor in Cambridgeshire says some children in care are ‘downright evil’
A newly-elected Reform UK councillor caused a storm of controversy after labelling some children in care as “evil”.
The comments from Cllr Andy Osborn at a Cambridgeshire County Council meeting were challenged by other councillors and an executive director at the local authority, which later issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to children in care following criticism elsewhere in the country of the view.
Cllr Osborn, elected last month to represent Roman Bank and Peckover on the council, told a meeting on Tuesday (3 June) that some children in care were “not just naughty children, they can be downright evil”.
He said he had heard of cases where children were “smashing cars up, running away from home, and are on drugs”.
Cllr Osborn said: “It is not just a case of somebody being a bad boy or a bad girl, it is a case of they have learnt from their bad parents not to react correctly.”
Others at the children and young people committee meeting swiftly pushed back against the comments. They highlighted that children who are taken into care have experienced trauma and “damaging experiences”.
Martin Purbrick, executive director of children, education and families, said that children in care have needed care and support due to the trauma they have experienced.
He said: “I think it is important to recognise any child in care is a child that has experienced early childhood trauma and it is that trauma which can often lead to difficult behaviours and emotional responses to challenging situations, which children and young people find it difficult to manage themselves.
“Sometimes that can manifest itself in behaviours like you have described, which can be difficult, but I do think it is important that we as a committee also remember that under that behaviour is a child that has experienced something incredibly difficult and something that has really changed the way that they are able to manage their own emotions.
“That is why they behave in that way, often actually putting themselves at significant risk rather than other people.
“We need to make sure what they get is good quality consistent care, which enables them to become an adult which can contribute to society, learn what they want to do and achieve their ambitions as well.”
Cllr Bryony Goodliffe (Lab, Cherry Hinton) said: “We also have a responsibility for these children. They are our children under the corporate parenting legislation. They are very much our responsibility.
“I think we need to be very careful about labelling children as naughty children. What they are doing is reacting to the situations that they have been in, which are of no control of their own.”
Cllr Anna Bradnam (Lib Dem, Waterbeach) also argued it was important to recognise that children’s behaviour could be challenging because they had “a very challenging time beforehand”.
She said: “We must try to be there and meet them where their needs are, not to label them.”
After the meeting, there was criticism of the comments from elsewhere, with concern that they would foster negative attitudes towards people who have been in care.
Cllr Jemima Laing, deputy leader of Plymouth City Council, published a letter she sent to Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, expressing “deep concern and dismay” and calling on him to encourage Cllr Osborn to apologise and step down from the children and young people committee.
Cllr Laing said: “Such language is not only profoundly inappropriate, it is dehumanising and fundamentally at odds with the responsibilities of public office.”
Meanwhile, Terry Galloway, a trustee of Care Leaver Local Offer, which pushes for improvements for care leavers, called for a meeting with Mr Farage.
MPs also criticised the comments, with Jess Asato called them “shocking”.
Without referring to the comments, the Liberal Democrat-run county council issued a statement on Thursday (5 June) reaffirming its commitment to children in care.
It said: “The council, as part of its corporate parenting statutory duties, acts as a ‘parent’ to looked-after children and care leavers, supporting their wellbeing and enabling them to thrive. This responsibility is equally shared by all county councillors and council staff and includes safeguarding, promoting health and development, working with partner agencies to help enable access to the best possible support and services, and preparing them for their adult lives.”
It acknowledged that “care experienced people are more likely to face discrimination, and that the council has a duty to put the needs of all disadvantaged people at the heart of its decision-making through co-production and collaboration”.
Cllr Edna Murphy, chair of the children and young people committee, said: “Care experienced people often face significant barriers that impact them throughout their lives, and despite the resilience of many care experienced people, society too often does not take their needs into account. We must make sure that all children and young people are given opportunities to thrive.
“As part of our legal responsibilities, we have a responsibility to act as corporate parents for all the children who are in our care as a council. We take this role extremely seriously; these children are our children, and, like any parent, we want to ensure they get the best services and support, to enable them to thrive.
“However, our commitment goes beyond our statutory duties. We will support all the children and young people in our care to be healthy and safe, feel cared about, valued and respected as individuals and will help them prepare well for adulthood, enabling them to achieve their goals.”
Mr Purbrick added: “Any child in care is a child that will have experienced early childhood trauma, this can really change the way that they are able to manage their own emotions. Often, they will put themselves at risk rather than other people. We need to make sure the children we are responsible for get good quality, consistent care which enables them to become adults who can contribute to society and achieve their ambitions.
“We offer support to all those families who need it, with the aim of keeping as many children at home as possible. Our low rate of children in care compared to many other areas really demonstrates the success of our services in supporting families to make changes and reduce the number of children who need to come into care.”
Tuesday’s meeting heard that the authority spent more than budgeted last year on care placements, with overspending on external placements totalling £7.5million.
Mr Purbrick said this was mainly due to more children coming into care than had been expected, but said the area still had some of the lowest numbers of children coming into care compared to other authorities in the east of the country.
He highlighted the work done by the council to help families and keep children at home when possible.
