The
Independent Jersey Care Inquiry on Tuesday (4 August) heard evidence from Mrs
Marnie Boudains about her experiences working
in Children's Services and Social Services
during 1985-2011.
Inquiry
Counsel, Mr Patrick Sadd, took her through her witness statement outlining her
career which began with various child care and supervisory roles in the UK
before returning to Jersey in 1985 as a bank Residential Child Care Officer and
Houseparent assigned mainly to Haut de la Garenne and Clos de Sables Family
Group Home.
Mrs
Boudains worked as a Child Care Officer between 1986 and 1993 and recalled what it was
like working under certain managers, caseloads and her impressions of the
various homes she was involved with.
She
described the restructuring of fieldwork services in 1988, the level of
supervision of Child Care Officers in Jersey, the development of the family
Support Service, welfare benefits, fostering and adoption, record keeping and
the storage and destruction of those records. She also talked about the impact
of the 1989 Children’s Act and other legislation on service provision in
Jersey.
Mrs
Boudains explained how in early 1989 a long-term resident of Clos de Sables reported abuse by the Housefather, Les Hughes, who
was later convicted on five counts of sexual
offences against three former residents at the home.
She also
recalled events surrounding allegations of abuse against Blanche Pierre Houseparents, Alan and Jane
Maguire, first as a Child Care Officer in 1989 and later, in 1997, as Manager
of the Children's Service Child Protection Team. She talked about the considerable developments made in
identifying victims of abuse over the ten years and her surprise at the
decision to drop the prosecution against them.
Mrs Boudains
detailed how the 1995 restructuring of administration and government impacted upon Children’s Services
and the move towards multi-agency working.
She said
criticisms of services and individuals by former Minister, Mr Stuart Syvret,
were erroneous and that his actions increased the risk to those children who
required protection from abuse on the basis that public confidence was
needed. She said it was not so much the content of what he said, but the
manner in which he raised the issues.
Mrs
Boudains also gave evidence about the department’s relationship with the States
of Jersey Police and her observations about Operation Rectangle.
Mrs
Boudains, who retired four-and-a-half years ago as Directorate Manager of Social Services,
told the Panel she hoped the IJCI would be a powerful enough vehicle for there
to finally be ownership of responsibility for at least implementing some of the
many recommendations that will arise.
Transcriptsand supporting documents will be available in due course.
Public
Hearings resume tomorrow (Wednesday 5 August) at 1400. See the Timetable for details.