Ukip Adoption Row: Rotherham Council Said Foster Parents 'Could Only Care For White Kids'

Ukip Couple Call On Council Leaders To Resign

A couple who had three foster children removed from their care because they were members of Ukip have said council leaders should resign after failing to apologise for the decision.

The South Yorkshire couple said they would not have taken on the three children - a baby girl, a boy and an older girl - from an ethnic minority background if they were racist.

They said Rotherham council told them they can now only foster white children.

The unnamed couple lost their children over their membership to the party

The foster mother, a nursery nurse in her 50s, toldThe Sun, said: "These children have now gone to other white, presumable British, couples. The only difference therefore is that these other people are not linked to Ukip.

"We wouldn't have taken these children on from an ethnic minority background if we had been racist.

"In fact the council are being racist towards us by saying that, yes, we can continue fostering - but for white children only."

A statement on the controversy from the council pledged full support to an inquiry ordered by Education Secretary Michael Gove, but the message from council leader Roger Stone offered no apology.

Nigel Farage is leader of the UK Independence party

The foster parents told the Daily Telegraph they felt "slandered and besmirched" after social workers took the children away.

"They should be considering their position," the husband told the newspaper.

"These are people on incredible salaries who are paid to make responsible decisions but they can't do it.

"It's completely baffling that they just can't put their hands up. They say this is a complex case but we don't agree. It's very simple."

Roger Stone has pledged full support to the inquiry but not offered an apology

The pair have not been identified to protect the trio of EU-migrant children involved in the case. They lost the youngsters when Rotherham Council social workers discovered their political allegiance, which they deemed incompatible with caring for the youngsters.

The foster couple, a qualified nursery nurse and a former Royal Navy reservist, said in an ideal world they would like the children back but their chances have been wrecked because they do not want to cause them any more upheaval.

They spoke out after being told by the social worker that Ukip was a racist party.

The children were removed by social workers after the Labour-run council reportedly received an anonymous tip-off about the foster parents' membership of the right-wing party which wants withdrawal from the European Union and immigration curbs.

Social workers said they were concerned about the children's "cultural and ethnic needs".

In his statement, Coun Stone said he had now received an initial report from his officials.

He said: "As we said on Saturday, membership of Ukip should not bar someone from fostering.

"The council places the highest priority on safeguarding children, and our overriding concern in all decisions about the children in our care is for their best interests.

"We have been able to establish the facts in this case as far as is possible over the weekend, and I can confirm that the children are safe and in very good care."

But the Labour council leader said it was a "very complex case" involving legal advice and an external agency.

He said: "The Secretary of State for Education has asked for an inquiry relating to this case over the weekend. The council welcomes this. We will work very closely with and give full co-operation to the Department."

Coun Stone said: "This is a sensitive child protection case. It involves both vulnerable children and the foster carers, so the information the council is able to release publicly is limited by law.

"At all stages, however, we will seek to be as open and transparent as possible as we co-operate with the Secretary of State."

Details of the incident emerged on Saturday and provoked widespread condemnation from political leaders including Mr Gove and Labour leader Ed Miliband.

Mr Gove, who was himself adopted as a child, said social workers had made "the wrong decision in the wrong way for the wrong reasons" and that he would be personally investigating.

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