Children's Charity - Kids Club

Peter, I am not sure why you have specified "ethnic" families.

Here is Camila's broadcast from Christmas 2014.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkleUiztIMc

Was there really a "Thomas", I wonder? I hope that a child in such a dreadful domestic situation would long since have been taken into care.

OMG - what sort of person gets sucked in by such a fake performance (Dave C obviously) - where is the `2 fingers down the throat` emoticon ?

https://2img.net/u/3111/10/75/94/smiles/273236.gif

We really need the above image, not just for Miss Batman, but for all the nauseating articles in the media about the McCanns.

Kids Company founder: Abuse allegations 'completely invalid'

The government has been forced to hold a crisis meeting today after the collapse of charity Kids Company amid allegations of child abuse and financial mismanagement.
The organisation was forced to shut its doors yesterday, after a donor who had pledged £3 million, withdrew the funds after learning that police were investigating the allegations.
Camila Batmanghelidjh has called the claims "absolutely invalid" and pointed the finger at ministers for failing to support "large numbers of children pouring through our doors".


http://www.itv.com/news/update/2015-08-06/kids-company-founder-camila-batmanghelidjh-im-devastated/

1. 6 August 2015 at 12:16pm
   

Kids Company boss: Abuse allegations 'are invalid'
Kids Company founder Camila Batmanghelidjh has said she is "devastated" for the children that will be affected by the closure of the charity

She told reporters allegations of abuse were unfounded, saying, "listen, I promise you, they're invalid. They are completely invalid."
When asked how she felt about the charity's demise, she said: "It doesn't matter how I feel. It's the devastation that this circus has caused the children. That's what people should be worried about."
Asked if she accepted any responsibility, she conceded: "I accept that I didn't raise enough money".
Ms Batmanghelidjh also insisted the story behind the collapse of Kids Company "would come out".
"It's much more complicated than people think and that will come out. I will produce the evidence for it", she added.
Last updated Thu 6 Aug 2015

John Humphreys giving Camila a hard time this morning.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0643x5z - from 2:09:42 mins

Also newsnight presenter too ,I wonder what all the truth really is ? joyce1938

Kids Company accused of mishandling sexual assault allegations


The Kids Company charity failed in its handling of allegations of serious incidents, including sexual assaults, former staff have said.
One former worker told BBC Two's Newsnight that staff were told of complaints about a client who sexually exploited girls he met there, off site.
But she says these concerns were not passed on and Newsnight has established that authorities were not alerted.
The charity said it would have told police of any allegation it knew about.
And the charity's chairman, Alan Yentob, who is also the BBC's creative director, said: "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."

Wealthy supporters

Before it shut its doors on Wednesday, Kids Company provided practical, emotional and educational support to some of the most deprived and vulnerable inner-city children and young people from across London, with centres in Liverpool and Bristol.

The charity, founded in 1996 by Camila Batmanghelidjh, was well known for its famous and wealthy supporters which included celebrities and David Cameron, but has been closed amid a row over funding.
In addition to the allegations being made to Newsnight, a former client of the charity has told BBC News that, when she was 16, she was touched inappropriately by a 24-year-old man who was also a client of the charity at that time.
She said she attempted to tell a teacher at the charity, which provides educational services, but the conversation was stopped before she could explain that she had been assaulted.
Kate (not her her real name) told BBC News the sexual assaults took place over a period of seven months in 2009, and occurred at one Kids Company site.
"He would touch me in inappropriate places," she said.
"He would have his dirty comments like how he would like to do certain things. I got pushed to the wall once as well when he threatened me and said that if I didn't comply to his wishes then he would get me."

'I was intimidated'

Kate explained to the BBC what happened when she tried to tell a teacher working at the charity what she had been going through.
She said she telephoned the teacher and opened the conversation with an explanation that she was being harassed, but the teacher ended the conversation and put the phone down before she could mention the sexual assault allegations.
Kate explained that some of those attending Kids Company with her, were not "kids" but adult men in their 20s.
"Everyone was way older, they are all adult, not kids, they shouldn't be there. I was intimidated anyway, I felt intimidated by these men," she told the BBC.
Responding to Kate's claim, Ms Batmanghelidjh said: "I would be very concerned if a staff member turned round and said they can't do anything about it.
"I'd be very surprised and if a staff member, one staff member, had done that there were lots of others to go to."
Kids Company employs 600 paid staff, as well as working with a pool of about 8,000 volunteers and 500 students.
One woman who was a paid employee of the charity in 2009 claimed she was the victim of a sexual assault by a co-worker on a night out.
Ella (not her real name) said the man forced his hand into her underwear and had to be pulled away by people around them. She said she reported the incident to the charity, but it was never dealt with properly.
Ella said she was promised the accused co-worker would be kept away from Kids Company until Ms Batmanghelidjh had spoken to him, but the next day he was back on site.
In emails seen by the BBC, Camilla Batmanghelidjh wrote to Ella: "In relation to ******** and the police, that I would support you 100% and that in this situation you were my priority."

'Scared'

However, she also questioned the woman's boundaries, writing: "I'm not excusing *********'s behaviour or saying that your behaviour led to it. I'm merely asking you to be much, much clearer about establishing robust boundaries."
Ella said she felt scared that little had been done - and that the man had not been suspended and continued to work at Kids Company.
Ella herself reported the sexual assault allegation to police, but chose not to press charges.
In the Newsnight investigation, it heard that male clients of the charity's Urban Academy in their 20s had forced young clients - girls aged 16 to 18 - to have sex with them.
Referring to one such man, a former employee said: "There'd be repercussions if they didn't… you have to do it, he'd blackmail them."
She said the girls were told: "If you don't do it I'll tell them about this, this, this and this. Or [he would] photograph them naked and then threaten to send it around to other people."
This employee claims that these allegations had been raised with staff, and she knew of them herself, but said they were not passed on. Newsnight has confirmed that the allegations of coerced sex made by witnesses to the programme were not known to the authorities.

Safeguarding procedures

A week ago, the Metropolitan Police launched an investigation into Kids Company led by Scotland Yard's child abuse command.
Camila Batmanghelidjh has emphatically denied any wrongdoing.
She told BBC News: "We've already had lawyers go through the details.
"There isn't an allegation that will stand. I'm telling you. Now. 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. "
Speaking to Newsnight later, Ms Batmanghelidjh said the allegations of sexual exploitation by Kids Company clients of other clients were brought to the charity's notice for the first time by police recently.
She added: "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.
"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."


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33813048

The Sun Friday 7th August 2015.

CHARITY BOSS IN PERV PLOT CLAIM
by RYAN SABEY.

The founder of bust charity Kids Company sensationally claimed yesterday she was being "suppressed"
because of a VIP paedo cover-up. Camila Batmanghelidjh said "Some of it involves historic sexual abuse
of children involving very senior members of the Establishment." Her outburst came the day after her
organisation was closed down because ministers wanted to recover a £3million grant. She said "Some
child protection police officers had come to see me to say their investigations are being quashed. There
has been a culture of suppressing evidence of extensive childhood maltreatment by very powerful people.
In years to come the truth of all that will unfold." The Metropolitan Police have launched a probe into
allegations of abuse related to the charity. And Labour wants a full National Audit Office review after it
emerged Kids Company received  £37million in taxpayers cash since starting in 1996. Children and parents
waving placards protested at the closure while staff left the centre in Peckham, South London in tears.

I wonder if all her staff and volunteers were CRB checked. It seems anyone could wander in off the street and volunteer. A real honeypot for abusers.

Didn't realise there's a protest march going on..

http://www.itv.com/news/london/update/2015-08-07/kids-company-supporters-march-on-downing-street/

I read on BBC News online that there were 150 people on the march.    Not many.

I have nicked this (though it is available freely elsewhere) from across the road.
 
http://kidsco.org.uk/download/Annual_Report_2013.compressed.pdf

A lot to go through but if there are any accountants among us, I would be interested in their explanations of page 48 - 60.   Never been much good with money myself, but be interested in the debtors and creditors bit, apart from the rest.

I'll ask Enid O'Dowd (the person who analyses the McCann Fund accounts) if she will take a look at them.

I can remember seeing Ms Batman on TV in the early days of the charity - she's one of those people who remains etched in one's mind - and thinking that she sounded genuine in what she was doing.

Thank you Freedom.  If Enid has the time her opinion would be very valuable.

Much off topic I'm sure but   -

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/11788507/NHS-accused-of-shambles-as-dying-cancer-sufferers-denied-drugs.html

A cancer drug hailed as one of the biggest breakthroughs since chemotherapy will not be made available on the NHS, despite research showing it doubles survival.
Charities last night said Britain’s system of drug funding had become “a total shambles” as it emerged that free access to the treatment has been stopped - perversely, because it has just received its official license.
The drug, which could extend 12,000 lives a year, is part of a class of medications which were hailed as “spectacular” following the results of a slew of trials just two months ago.
There are now fear that the group of immunotherapy drugs, which were described as "game-changing," when scientific data was published earlier this year, will be routinely denied to NHS patients on grounds of cost.


One cannot help a comparison of the £23,000,000  and how it would help elsewhere.     Only IMO of course.

Batman and Robbin.. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3190596/Kids-Company-paid-private-school-fees-daughter-toppled-boss-s-chauffeur-Charity-chiefs-launch-probe-claim-pupil-bankrolled.html

Andrew wrote:Batman and Robbin.. 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3190596/Kids-Company-paid-private-school-fees-daughter-toppled-boss-s-chauffeur-Charity-chiefs-launch-probe-claim-pupil-bankrolled.html

Struth - a chauffeur ? - who does she think she is  ? - the ruddy Queen of Sheba.  

The woman is definitely suffering from delusions of grandeur and living in a fantastical world of kiddiehood.  

Look at pictures of her on google images and you`ll rarely see two items of that material she swathes over her voluminous body - is it all silks?  Just how many different fabrics can one own ?

And ... all her talk about having to `counsel` the kids.  Does she realise how dangerous it is to `counsel` others without having all the very strict qualifications.  She`s one of those people that revels in the drama of other peoples` misery. IMO

The Sun Monday,10th August 2015.

Coldplay in charity 'rescue bid talks'
By ROBERT FISK.

COLDPLAY are in talks to save part of Kids Company following the charity's sudden collapse.
The band fronted by Chris Martin,38, is considering rescuing Treehouse , which provided
education and therapeutic help to vulnerable kids. Coldplay have donated a reported £10million
to Kids Company and Martins ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow ,42, was often photographed with the
charity's founder Camila Batmanghehelidjh, 52. Phil Harvey, the bands co-manager said "We're
not going to give up on the centre without looking at all options." Kids Company folded last week
amid claims of poor financial management and allegations of sexual abuse. Government ministers,
councils and other charities are in talks to continue services for kids. Treehouse opened in North
London in 2009.

costello wrote:The Sun Monday,10th August 2015.

Coldplay in charity 'rescue bid talks'
By ROBERT FISK.

COLDPLAY are in talks to save part of Kids Company following the charity's sudden collapse.
The band fronted by Chris Martin,38, is considering rescuing Treehouse , which provided
education and therapeutic help to vulnerable kids. Coldplay have donated a reported £10million
to Kids Company and Martins ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow ,42, was often photographed with the
charity's founder Camila Batmanghehelidjh, 52. Phil Harvey, the bands co-manager said "We're
not going to give up on the centre without looking at all options." Kids Company folded last week
amid claims of poor financial management and allegations of sexual abuse. Government ministers,
councils and other charities are in talks to continue services for kids. Treehouse opened in North
London in 2009.

If that goes through, they should keep CB well away from managing the finances. IMO it was her propensity for spending money like water that broke the bank.

PeterMac wrote:

lol PM, both look very "charismatic."

Freedom wrote:I'll ask Enid O'Dowd (the person who analyses the McCann Fund accounts) if she will take a look at them.

I can remember seeing Ms Batman on TV in the early days of the charity - she's one of those people who remains  etched in one's mind - and thinking that she sounded genuine in what she was doing.

I too remember her in the early days, and thought she was very effective!  She was always a large woman, but I'm shocked to see how much heavier she has gotten.  She must now be what's termed as 'morbidly obese,' and I imagine has serious day to day difficulties, and health issues as a result.

Her outfits fascinate me.

She is Iranian, but why she needs to get up like an African Queen is a mystery.

African Queens :-

Those African queens are very soberly dressed in comparison to Miss B!

Her weight could be due to a health problem in itself.

I think that she genuinely did need the services of a full-time chauffeur. If the latter's daughter's school fees were being paid by the charity, that of course is not acceptable.

How much was Batman being paid per annum again?

I think that it was £80,000.00.