The Health Minister of Jersey fears that he is about to be sacked for exposing what he says was the abuse of children in care who were kept in round-the-clock solitary confinement.

An extraordinary political row has broken out after the disclosure of a harsh punishment regime for 11 to 16-year-olds at a children’s home. New arrivals at the Greenfields home were subjected to 23 hours’ isolation, and threatened with being sent back to solitary confinement indefinitely if they misbehaved.

The Howard League for Penal Reform believes the tough regime would be unlawful in England, and the Jersey government has announced an independent inquiry.

The British social worker who blew the whistle on what he saw as a “Dick-ensian” system has been sacked.

Now the minister who described the punishment as “torture” faces a vote of no confidence by the island’s legislature. “It involved a kind of routine and coercive solitary confinement of children from 11 to 16,” Stuart Syvret, Jersey’s Health and Social Services Minister, said yesterday.

“Routine procedure on admission to the unit was 23 hours in solitary, locked in a bedroom, one hour’s exercise allowed.”

On arrival each child was given a seven-page document outlining the “grand prix” system of punishments and rewards. Newcomers had “qualifier” status, progressing to the “Grid” and, for the best behaved, the “Track”.

Those who misbehaved were sent to “the Pits” and locked up alone. The system was withdrawn in October last year.

“Bare cell with concrete table, concrete bed and a lavatory – that was it,” Mr Sylvet said. “The children confined to these cells were not permitted to have any pencils or writing material and even their bedding and mattress would be taken out of the cell in daylight hours. Twenty-four hours was the minimum punishment, but sometimes it could go on for days. It looked like institutionalised child abuse.”

Offences that could land a child in isolation included being abusive to staff, swearing or throwing a chair across the common room, Mr Syvret said. He was alerted to the regime by Simon Bellwood, 33, a social worker who became centre manager at Greenfields last August.

Mr Bellwood submitted a formal complaint against the practice, but it was rejected and he was dismissed. He is contesting his sacking through a tribunal. Mr Bellwood tells this week’s Community Caremagazine that he was “criticised for having a problem with punishment”. Another British social worker who has worked in Jersey said yesterday: “People are frightened to speak up in case they get the sack.” Mr Syvret, a centre-left senator, said yesterday: “I, too, have in effect become a whistleblower. The Council of Ministers are trying to sack me. The Jersey establishment to all intents and purposes is unchallengeable.”

Jersey has appointed Andrew Williamson, a British child protection expert, to run the inquiry.

The Chief Minister, Frank Walker, said: “We have seen no evidence to support Senator Syvret’s concerns, but for the sake of children who may be at risk and the staff who are being adversely affected we must end the current uncertainty.”

Life in the Pits

24 hours in cell, including sleeping, eating and drinking; 1 hour exercise, behaviour dependant

Bed at 19.45, lights off at 21.00. Television on Day 2, between 18.00-19.45 Being in the Pits means that you have to have a full 24 hours’ good behaviour to progress to Day 2.

Pens and pencils are not allowed

You will be expected to clean this area

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