The Independent Jersey Care
Inquiry on Tuesday (30 June) heard evidence from two
former child care workers.
Miss Marilyn Carre worked
as a Child Care Assistant and Officer in Jersey between 1977 and 1990 before
moving to the probation service.
Counsel to the Inquiry, Mr
Patrick Sadd, took her through her statement in which she described her role
working with young people in the community and working occasional night shifts
in various residential homes – mainly Heathfield and La Preference, in order to supplement her income. She
detailed the referrals process by which children were sent to Children’s
Services, how she developed a specialism in dealing with suspected sexual abuse
cases and training provision by the States.
Miss Carre also described
what she saw during visits to Les Chenes, Blanche Pierre
and Haut de la Garenne before explaining how she stopped working as a Counsellor on Operation
Rectangle due to a conflict of interest.
After lunch, Mr Sadd took
Mr Ernest Mallet through his statement, in
which he detailed being brought up in Jersey’s care system and subsequently
becoming a volunteer at Haut de la Garenne between 1969-1974.
He then went to England
to work as a residential Child Care Officer in Surrey where
they used the key worker system, before returning to Jersey in 1981 as
Assistant Director at Les Amis. He joined Haut de la Garenne nine months later
and then spent 20 years working at La Preference until 2002. Mr Mallet
recalled various members of staff, management, records, care of the children,
discipline and relationships with the States. He also
responded to two allegations of assault made against him, which were
investigated by Children’s Services in 1992 and 2000 respectively.
Transcripts and supporting
documents will be available in due course.
Public Hearings resume tomorrow
(Wednesday 1 July) at 1000 with another former care worker speaking about their
experiences of Jersey’s care system.