The South Yorkshire couple whose three foster children were removed because they were members of UKIP have called on Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to apologise.
The ethnic minority children – a boy and two girls from Europe – were reportedly removed from the unnamed couple after social workers received an anonymous tip-off. The social workers claimed they were worried about the children’s “cultural and ethnic needs”.
In an interview with the Daily Telegraph, the wife said:
“We feel that we have personally been slandered and we would like a public apology from Rotherham. We would also like something in the form of a letter stating that they have got it wrong in this case and that it will not be on our records that we have had children removed from our care. We just want a clean slate.”
She added:
“From a personal and selfish point of view, we would like the children back. But we are more concerned with the children’s welfare, and we do not want them traumatised any more than they already have been.”
The Council’s move attracted significant criticism, with Education Secretary Michael Gove saying:
“Rotherham Council have made the wrong decision in the wrong way for the wrong reasons. Rotherham’s reasons for denying this family the chance to foster are indefensible.”
He added:
“We need more parents to foster, and many more to adopt. Any council which decides that supporting a mainstream UK political party disbars an individual from looking after children in care is sending a dreadful signal that will only decrease the number of loving homes available to children in need.”
Council leader Roger Stone has now launched an investigation.
