Warwickshire safeguarding authority apologises after foster child abused in care
Marie was abused at the hands of her foster parent for six years
Warwickshire's child safeguarding authority has apologised after a girl was sexually abused at the hands of her foster parent.
Referred to as "Marie", the victim was abused by her male carer from the time she was 9 to 15.
Marie's carer would later be arrested, convicted and jailed for offences involving her, as well as other children.
A report into the failings that led to the abuse said that there were several missed opportunities to catch grooming while it was happening.
Ultimately, Marie would take her own life just after her 19th birthday following a drug-related incident in 2023.
In a statement, Warwickshire Safeguarding Children Partnership said it was "deeply sorry" that Marie came into harm by her foster parent, as well as being failed by the services that were meant to protect her.
The authority added that while justice was served in a legal sense through the conviction of her abuser, this still left a lasting legacy on her that did little to lessen her pain.
They added: "We also acknowledge that delays and communication issues added to the distress experienced by Marie and those around her.
"We regret that more was not done to ensure her well-being and to demonstrate the care and support she deserved.
"We are especially sorry that these reflections and acknowledgements come too late to be shared with Marie herself and recognise that she should have been apologised to at the time."
Warwickshire Safeguarding Children Partnership also brought the apology to Marie's family, friends and the wider community, who were affected at her death.
The authority finished by insisting it would be doing what it could to learn from the report and its findings.
"Our shared goal is to ensure that the lessons from Marie’s story lead to meaningful change and a safer, more responsive system for all children and young people," they said.