Christian girl 'forced to live with Muslim foster carers'

The children's commissioner for England has said she is concerned at reports that a Christian girl was "forced" to live with conservative Muslim foster carers.

Anne Longfield has said she is going to contact Tower Hamlets Council to "establish more facts about the case", which involved a five-year-old child.

According to The Times, the English-speaking girl was left confused and upset by the foster family's use of Arabic.

The newspaper also reported that her necklace, which had a cross, was allegedly removed by the carers - and they had refused to allow the girl to eat spaghetti carbonara because it contained bacon.

In a statement, Ms Longfield said: "A child's religious, racial and cultural background should be taken into consideration when they are placed with foster carers."

A social services supervisor in the east London borough had claimed the child had sobbed and begged not to be returned to the foster family because of the language divide.

One MP, Andrew Bridgen, said: "It is a reflection of the meltdown in children's services in Tower Hamlets following a local government regime that was racked with corruption and incompetence.

"This is the fallout when public services are being delivered so badly in this way. It is people like this vulnerable five-year-old girl who are at the sharp end of this.

"It's not acceptable and the Government needs to intervene."

Robert Halfon, chairman of the Commons Education Committee, told The Times that an investigation was needed to determine whether this case was a one-off.

He said: "I'd be equally concerned if a Muslim child who didn't speak English was placed with a Christian foster carer whose family didn't speak the child's language and at times appeared to show little regard for his cultural heritage."

A spokesman for the council told the newspaper that its fostering service "provides a loving, stable home for hundreds of children every year" - adding "absolute consideration" is given to each child's background and cultural identity.