Lambeth Borough Council was dominated by a “culture of cover-up” and a “lack of concern for the day-to-day lives of children in its care”, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) concluded. During much of the abuse, the Labour-run council was dominated by the “politicised behaviour and turmoil” of the 1980s, the report claimed.
At the time Margaret Thatcher ran the country and the council sought to “take on the government” to the detriment of local services, it said.
The report said: “During that time, children in care became pawns in a toxic power game within Lambeth Council and between the council and central government.
“This turmoil and failure to act to improve children’s social care continued into the 1990s and beyond.”
“Bullying, intimidation, racism and sexism thrived” within the council, all of which was set within a context of corruption and financial mismanagement which permeated much of its operations, it said.
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“For several decades, senior staff and councillors at Lambeth Council failed to effect change, despite overwhelming evidence that children in its care did not have the quality of life and protection to which they were entitled, and were being put at serious risk of sexual abuse.
“When systemic failures were identified, time and again they were minimised and levels of risk ignored.”
It heard evidence of children being raped, indecently assaulted and sexually abused.
Following 705 complaints from former residents across three facilities, only one member of senior staff was ever disciplined.
It estimated the number of those abused was likely much higher, while the Metropolitan Police was advised to consider an investigation into one boy who died in a care home in 1977, having previously complained of being abused by a senior member of staff.
The inquiry into Lambeth Council, held in the summer of 2020, examined five facilities – Angell Road, South Vale Assessment Centre, the Shirley Oaks complex, Ivy House and Monkton Street – dating back to the 1960s.
It highlighted the case of Michael John Carroll, a member of staff at the Angell Road children’s home who had failed to disclose in the 1970s a previous conviction for child sexual abuse.
He was allowed to carry on working when this was eventually found out.
Carroll was subsequently convicted in 1999 of 34 counts of child sexual abuse, including two boys in the care of Lambeth Council between 1980 and 1983.
The report found “clear evidence” that sexual offenders and those suspected of sexual abuse were co-workers in Lambeth Council’s children’s homes at the same time.
Carroll also had a role in recruiting staff and investigations at Angell Road.
The report said: “Through such poor practice and its failure to respond to concerns and allegations, Lambeth Council put vulnerable children in the path of adults known or suspected to be perpetrators of child sexual abuse.”
It described sex offenders as likely feeling “untouchable”, while children were “isolated and ignored”.
It acknowledged there were “much-improved systems in Lambeth”, but said there was still evidence of a more recent case, from 2016, in which an allegation of rape did not result in a strategy meeting taking place to consider the claim.
The report added: “For several decades, senior staff and councillors at Lambeth Council failed to effect change, despite overwhelming evidence that children in its care did not have the quality of life and protection to which they were entitled, and were being put at serious risk of sexual abuse.
“When systemic failures were identified, time and again they were minimised and levels of risk ignored.”
Claire Holland, Lambeth council leader, said: “The council was responsible for their care and protection but failed, with profound consequences.
“The council is deeply sorry for their experiences.
“The extent and scale of the horrendous abuse, which took place over many decades, remains deeply shocking.
“The council failed to acknowledge concerns when they arose, often failed to believe children when they disclosed abuse and then failed to take effective action.
“That so many children and adults were not believed compounded their experiences and caused further pain and distress with lifelong impacts.”
Ms Holland added: “Lambeth Council fully accepts the recommendations from this inquiry and will continue to strive to improve the care we provide to children and young people.”
Commander Alex Murray, of the Metropolitan Police Service, said: “We are sorry for when we let children in the care of Lambeth down.”
He added: “We have received the recommendation by IICSA namely ‘the death of LA‑A2 whether the Met should consider whether there are grounds for a criminal investigation into Lambeth Council’s actions when providing information to the coroner about the circumstances surrounding LA‑A2’s death’, which we will now assess.
“We encourage anyone who has been the victim of child sex abuse to come forward and speak with us.”
