Expert: Child ‘exports’ a disgrace

IT IS a “national disgrace” that some children are being sent overseas on care placements, a conference was told yesterday.

Geoffrey Shannon, a child law expert and Government-appointed child rapporteur, made his comments at a conference jointly organised by Barnardos and the Association for Criminal Justice Research and Development to mark the 10th anniversary of the Children Act 2001.

It emerged earlier this week that 15 children in state care have been placed in overseas facilities. Mr Shannon said “exporting our children” would likely be the subject of future tribunals.