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Tower Hamlets Council
UK News

Christian girl 'misses' Muslim foster parents, court told

by Eno Adeogun

A Christian girl removed from her Muslim foster parents has apparently said that she misses them, a court was told on Monday.

The five-year-old, who is now living with her grandmother, was placed into the family's care by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

The judge, Khatun Sapnara, said the girl expressed "she misses the foster carer and wants to see her again".

 

Reporting from the East London family court, BBC reporter Callum May tweeted that the judge said the council was happy the family care was "warm and appropriate".

The child, who can't be named for legal reasons, made headlines in August, following a Times report that stated the foster family did not speak English and that the girl had not been allowed to wear a crucifix.

 

Andrew Wood, Tower Hamlet's Councillor for Canary Wharf Ward replied to May's Tweet and said: "There were specific allegations in Times report which we still do not know whether true or not. We asked 27 question and do have answer yet..."

Reading extracts from the Tower Hamlets report, Judge Sapnara told the East London family court that Tower Hamlets had produced an "interesting and robust defence" to the media's reporting of the case.

She said: "The local authority has satisfied itself that the foster carer has not behaved in any way which is inconsistent with their provision of warm and appropriate care for the child."

The council will now be allowed to publish an "agreed narrative of events".

The youngster's grandmother, who it was revealed at previous hearings speaks little English, is Muslim and intended to take the child back to their country of origin if given custody of the child.

The judge said: "The maternal grandmother is dismissive of the concerns and upset by them.

She added that the child's maternal grandmother "in fact has a warm relationship with one of the foster carers - as does the child".

The court also heard that the child, who was taken from her mother after police became concerned for her welfare, could still be taken to her grandmother's country of origin if a permanent order was made to grant her care of the girl.

The girl holds dual nationality of both the UK and that country.

A full hearing to determine the child's future will take place in December.

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