‘Q Family’ Serious Case Review recommendations

South Yorkshire Police and Lincolnshire Police were advised to look at the way they handle cases or allegations of child abuse after a damning report revealed how two girls suffered more than 34 years of sexual and physical abuse from their father, giving birth to seven of his children.

Known as Q Family, they are believed to have been kept under the radar for so long as the “aggressive, domineering” father moved them from house to house 67 times over the 35 years covered by the Serious Case Review.

On June 2, 2008, the two daughters, Adult M and Adult N, disclosed to a social worker in Sheffield that their father, Adult R, had sexually abused them from an early age. Subsequent disclosures by their brother, Adult T, also revealed they had been subjected to physical abuse throughout their childhoods.

On November 25, 2008, the father was found guilty of rape and sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to serve at least 19-and-a-half years before being considered for parole. This was reduced at the Court of Appeal in May 2009 to 14-and-a-half years.

Between 1988 and 2002 the two daughters were pregnant 16 times. Between 1990 and 1996, either Adult M or Adult N was pregnant every year or on some occasions twice a year. On four occasions they were pregnant at the same time. There was increasing professional suspicion during this period that Adult R might be the father of Adult M and N’s children. There were seven allegations reported to professionals regarding incest/sexual abuse from family members and professionals. On 23 separate occasions from 1998 to 2005, Adults M and N were specifically asked about the paternity of their children by various organisations and professionals.

By 1997, the daughters had either lost nine babies or pregnancies as a result of genetic disorders, which it was known could occur only when both parents were carriers of the genetic abnormality.

This, together with their refusal to accept genetic counselling, fuelled the belief that incest offered a possible explanation. However, the professionals considered that, as there was no evidence to prove this, there was nothing that they could do.

It was not until the family returned to Sheffield and the police were given a clear statement alleging sexual abuse and incest in 2008 that steps were taken to arrest Adult R.

Professionals such as the police and some doctors took the fact that geneticists could not definitely state that the pregnancies and babies born to the women had an abnormality as a result of an incestuous relationship to mean no action could be taken.

The Serious Case Review identified that there have been fundamental changes in legislation, policy and practice during the past 35 years, which would result in some areas of the management of the Q Family being very different were they to take place today. This particularly relates to the period 1973 to 1988 when legislation, safeguarding structures and professional practice was fundamentally different.

There have been considerable changes in the way that Lincolnshire and South Yorkshire forces handle suspected cases of incest and rape, with the establishment of dedicated units and teams of expert officers. As demonstrated in Sheffield once the women disclosed what had happened, prompt supportive action was taken.

Further to this progress, the report recommended that by January this year Sheffield Children’s Specialist Service agree procedures and protocols with South Yorkshire Police regarding the use of DNA within investigations of suspected incest. Both Sheffield Specialist Services and South Yorkshire Police are also expected to implement regular update meetings to share information about single agency investigations to ensure all parties records have outcomes recorded.

Recommendations specific to South Yorkshire Police were also made and were implemented in June 2009, including: ensuring that the training delivered to call handlers includes a section on the nee