Tower Hamlets Council has rejected “concerns” raised over the treatment of a five-year-old Christian girl who was placed with a Muslim foster family.
Following an independent investigation, Tower Hamlets Council has rejected the allegations saying that the Christian girl’s foster carers stopped her from eating bacon, told her to learn Arabic and removed a crucifix necklace from her.
The child, who was put into care due to concerns about her biological mother’s welfare, now lives with her grandmother.
She was placed into the Muslim foster family’s care in March by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
In August, The Times newspaper published a story claiming she had been “forced to live with a niqab-wearing foster carer”.
The paper reported the girl had “sobbed and begged” not to return to the family because “they don’t speak English”.
She also allegedly told her biological mother that “Christmas and Easter are stupid” and “European women are stupid and alcoholic”.
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However, Tower Hamlets Council – which investigated the claims – said the allegations were unsubstantiated and the girl did not know what Europe was.
A spokesperson for The Times said: “The Times reported concerns about the suitability of this foster placement raised by the child’s mother and a social care worker who supervised regular meetings between the girl and her birth family.
“Tower Hamlets was ordered to investigate the allegations and invited by the judge to publish an ‘alternative narrative’ in respect of them.”
A report by a senior social worker said the child had “expressed no negative views about Christmas, Easter or any religious festival” when questioned.
The five-year-old is currently living with her maternal grandmother, who the council said was “distressed and angered” by the “false” allegations against the Muslim foster carers.
The report added: “She has a good relationship with the carers and is grateful for the excellent care she says that they have provided to the child.”
