…a Commodity?

I was horrified to learn today , from The Guardian newspaper, that as many as 400 children have disappeared from care. These are foreign children who were in care around major British ports  and who are thought to have become victims of child trafficking. They are vulnerable to exploitation in prostitution, the drugs trade and domestic servitude.

The Government has rebuffed calls for a system of professional guardians to look after every suspected victim of child trafficking - a crime the United Nations has described as ‘a modern-day slave trade’

Keith Vaz, Labour Chairman of the Commons home affairs committee, which is investigating human trafficking, said he was shocked by these  figures and that a system of guardianship for every child now looked ‘very attractive’

Chris Huhne, Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, called on the government to drop its opposition and fund a system in which every suspected victim of child trafficking is provided with a guardian who ’specifically looks out for them and ideally speaks their language’

I am definitely in favour of the setting up of this type of system, but let us also ensure that each of our children whether in care or living within a family unit, can enjoy a life free from harm. It seems that we are always hearing about some poor child losing his or her life at the hands of a thug or by the lack of care by agencies responsible for the welfare of children at risk. Things need ‘tightening up’, wouldn’t you agree?

……was the venue for a meeting to discuss the Policing Priorities for Leeming Ward. There were 11 residents (including me and Cllr Jill Usher)and we met with our Beat Manager, PC Mick Colley and PCSO for Leeming, Sarah Gilbert.

We talked about the results of the questionairre put out earlier in the year and guided by these results we decided on the 3 priorities to be actioned. These vary from area to area within the ward but come under the headings: 1) Litter and dog fouling, 2) Criminal Damage and 3) Alcohol and drug related  ASB. I won’t say which problem is related to which area, because we must safeguard against the perpetrators being forewarned about Police activity. (I’m assuming that they might visit this site! You never know…..)