Manchester Council has offered over £2.25m in compensation to 168 alleged victims of sexual or physical abuse in children’s homes across the city between the 1960s and 1980s.
The settlement, which all but five of the alleged abuse victims have accepted, follows a seven-year group action, sparked by a Greater Manchester Police probe into the abuse, which led to three convictions.
Peter Garsden, managing partner of Abney Garsden McDonald, the law firm that represented the claimants, said 70 other people had launched claims independently of the group action that remained outstanding.
The firm claimed that the police had received 350 allegations against 536 individuals relating to alleged abuse at 66 children’s homes in Greater Manchester, the vast majority of which have now closed.
Following the settlement, a Manchester Council spokesperson said: “We very much regret the abuse that occurred and the impact this has had on the individuals concerned. There are now far more effective systems and checks in place to prevent this kind of abuse - including stringent inspection and regulation.”
Problems facing lone social workers
22 August 2008
Sedgemoor collapse to herald tougher inspection regime
22 February 2008
Capital Gains
03 February 2005
Positive images of social work
01 July 2009
Laming review of child protection
12 May 2009
Bristol finds common assessment framework liberates social workers and spreads responsibilities
01 July 2009
Helping people with mental health problems who are in debt
29 June 2009
How ITV Fixers have enabled young people to go public with life stories
17 June 2009
Khyra Ishaq: Accused face retrial after jury discharged
One third of children may be living with binge-drinking parents
Social workers 'must use GSCC code to challenge workloads'
Safeguarding board chair says Doncaster Council is struggling to recruit social workers
Details of government consultations
12 June 2009
Government Legislation
02 December 2008
Private Member Bills
21 November 2008
