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| Kids Company sex abuse claims were not passed on, says alleged victim | Kids Company sex abuse claims were not passed on, says alleged victim |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The founder of the Kids Company charity, Camila Batmanghelidjh, has denied allegations from former employees that sexual assaults of children using its services were mishandled. | |
| A former worker at the charity told the BBC’s Newsnight programme that staff had been told about allegations involving a client who sexually abused girls he met through the charity, off-site, but that these concerns were not passed on. | A former worker at the charity told the BBC’s Newsnight programme that staff had been told about allegations involving a client who sexually abused girls he met through the charity, off-site, but that these concerns were not passed on. |
| The programme said it had established that the authorities were never told about the claims. | The programme said it had established that the authorities were never told about the claims. |
| Ms Batmanghelidjh has denied any wrongdoing. | Ms Batmanghelidjh has denied any wrongdoing. |
| The claims come as The Independent reveals that a multimillionaire Tory donor persuaded ministers to give a grant of £3 million to Kids Company against the advice of civil servants. | |
| Kids Company, which offered emotional and practical support to vulnerable children in London, Liverpool and Bristol, was forced to close on Wednesday due to funding issues. | Kids Company, which offered emotional and practical support to vulnerable children in London, Liverpool and Bristol, was forced to close on Wednesday due to funding issues. |
| Last Thursday, Scotland Yard said it had launched an investigation into the charity over “a number of allegations of crime”, between 2008 and 2012. | Last Thursday, Scotland Yard said it had launched an investigation into the charity over “a number of allegations of crime”, between 2008 and 2012. |
| The Independent understands that the announcement of the police investigation led to several large donors withdrawing their support from the charity. | The Independent understands that the announcement of the police investigation led to several large donors withdrawing their support from the charity. |
| As a result, a rescue package for Kids Company – including the £3 million grant – was no longer enough to ensure its survival. | |
| A former client of the charity has told the BBC that, when she was 16, she was sexually assaulted by a 24-year-old man who was also a client of the charity at the time. | A former client of the charity has told the BBC that, when she was 16, she was sexually assaulted by a 24-year-old man who was also a client of the charity at the time. |
| She said she tried to tell a teacher at the charity but was stopped before she could explain what had happened | She said she tried to tell a teacher at the charity but was stopped before she could explain what had happened |
| She told the BBC that some of those using Kids Company’s services were not children but men in their 20s. | She told the BBC that some of those using Kids Company’s services were not children but men in their 20s. |
| “Everyone was way older, they are all adult, not kids, they shouldn’t be there. I felt intimidated by these men,” she said. | “Everyone was way older, they are all adult, not kids, they shouldn’t be there. I felt intimidated by these men,” she said. |
| A third woman who was employed by the charity said she was sexually assaulted by a co-worker on a night out when he put his hand into her underwear. | A third woman who was employed by the charity said she was sexually assaulted by a co-worker on a night out when he put his hand into her underwear. |
| She said she reported the incident to the charity but it was not dealt with properly and the man continued to work at Kids Company. | She said she reported the incident to the charity but it was not dealt with properly and the man continued to work at Kids Company. |
| The BBC’s Newsnight investigations heard that men from the charity’s Urban Academy in their 20s had forced young girls aged 16 to 18 to have sex with them. | The BBC’s Newsnight investigations heard that men from the charity’s Urban Academy in their 20s had forced young girls aged 16 to 18 to have sex with them. |
| The Government provided Kids Company with a £3m grant just last week The programme said it had confirmed that the allegations were not known to the authorities. | The Government provided Kids Company with a £3m grant just last week The programme said it had confirmed that the allegations were not known to the authorities. |
| Responding to the allegations, Ms Batmaanghelidjh told the BBC: “There isn't an allegation that will stand. | Responding to the allegations, Ms Batmaanghelidjh told the BBC: “There isn't an allegation that will stand. |
| “In 19 years we haven't had a single child protection problem in the organisation. And whenever something is raised with us we immediately report it to the police.” | “In 19 years we haven't had a single child protection problem in the organisation. And whenever something is raised with us we immediately report it to the police.” |
| She later added to Newsnight: “If such a thing had taken place on our premises it would have triggered all our safeguarding procedures. | She later added to Newsnight: “If such a thing had taken place on our premises it would have triggered all our safeguarding procedures. |
| "I have absolutely no awareness of it. | "I have absolutely no awareness of it. |
| “And there is no awareness of this incident having taken place at Kids Company premises or brought to Kids Company's attention. | “And there is no awareness of this incident having taken place at Kids Company premises or brought to Kids Company's attention. |
| "We would have totally reported something like that.” | "We would have totally reported something like that.” |
| Alan Yentob, the charity’s chairman, added: “There is no evidence that we were informed about a sexual abuse case. I think this amount of rumour and allegation and counter-allegation… is disgraceful,” the BBC reports. | Alan Yentob, the charity’s chairman, added: “There is no evidence that we were informed about a sexual abuse case. I think this amount of rumour and allegation and counter-allegation… is disgraceful,” the BBC reports. |