Death of Awaab Ishak
{{Short description|UK death of a child from indoor mould}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Awaab Ishak
| image = Awaab Ishak.jpg
| caption = Awaab Ishak, aged 2
| birth_place = Rochdale, Greater Manchester, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|12|21|2018|11|df=y}}
| death_place = Royal Oldham Hospital
| death_cause = Acute airway oedema with severe granulomatous tracheobronchitis due to environmental mould exposure
| known for = Circumstances of his death being due to mould in his home
}}
Awaab Ishak, a two-year old child living in a one-bedroom flat at the Ilminster block on Rochdale's Freehold estate,{{cite news |last1=Trewern |first1=Mat |last2=Jones |first2=Abbie |last3=Horsburgh |first3=Lynette |title=Awaab Ishak: 'I fear for my children after death from mould exposure' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-63651888 |access-date=16 November 2022 |work=BBC News |date=16 November 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Simpson |first1=Jack |title=Awaab Ishak death: the coroner's verdict in full |url=https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/insight/insight/awaab-ishak-death-the-coroners-verdict-in-full-79122 |access-date=16 November 2022 |work=Inside Housing |date=16 November 2022}} died in December 2020 as a result of a severe respiratory condition. In 2022, a coroner at Rochdale coroner's court ruled that this was caused by prolonged exposure to black mould in his home{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Mark |last2=Booth |first2=Robert |title=Death of two-year-old from chronic mould in flat a 'defining moment', says coroner |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/nov/15/death-of-two-year-old-awaab-ishak-chronic-mould-in-flat-a-defining-moment-says-coroner |access-date=16 November 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=15 November 2022}} which had "inadequate ventilation and was not equipped for normal day-to-day living activities which led to excess damp and condensation".{{cite news |last=Bancroft |first=Holly |date=15 November 2022 |title=Inquest finds toddler killed by mould exposure in 'defining moment for housing sector' |work=The Independent |publisher= |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/awaab-ishak-death-mould-housing-b2225448.html |access-date=16 November 2022}} Awaab's death led to a change in the law, known as "Awaab's Law".
Background
His father had complained to Rochdale Boroughwide Housing about the mould in 2017 and was told to paint over it. His father and mother, who moved to the UK from Sudan in 2016 and 2017 respectively, said they had "no doubt at all" that they were treated poorly "because we are not from the country and are less aware of how the systems in the UK work". In June 2020, his father instructed solicitors and initiated a claim over the problem.{{cite news |last1=Chappell |first1=Peter |title=Awaab Ishak: two-year-old boy dies after exposure to mould in flat |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/article/two-year-old-boy-dies-from-exposure-to-mould-at-home-67g2qkrtf |access-date=16 November 2022 |work=The Times |date=16 November 2022}} In December 2020, a surveyor described the conditions at his home as "unfit for human habitation".{{cite news |last1=Topping |first1=Stephen |title=Awaab Ishak's mould-hit home 'unfit for human habitation without repairs' |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/awaab-ishaks-mould-hit-home-25481336 |access-date=16 November 2022 |work=Manchester Evening News |date=10 November 2022}}
=Coroner's report=
The coroner's report stated that there was an evident gap in the information-sharing between health visitors/midwives/early help services and the GP. Health visitors had raised concerns in July 2020 and the community midwife completed a special circumstances form in September to children's services highlighting the issue. Dr Caroline Taylor, chair of the National Association of Primary Care said "We all write letters to the housing association and we tell our patients we don't feel like it will make any difference." Middleton Primary Care Network – neighbouring the estate – is proposing that social prescribers will be sent to assess patients' housing conditions to strengthen a GP's case to local agencies.{{cite news |last=Hacker |first=Jess |date=18 November 2022 |title=GP social prescribers to assess poor housing conditions following tragic death |work=Pulse |publisher= |url=https://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/pulse-pcn/gp-social-prescribers-to-assess-poor-housing-conditions-following-tragic-death/ |access-date=18 November 2022}}
=Responses=
Following the coroner's verdict, the company's chief executive Gareth Swarbrick said that he was "truly devastated about Awaab's death and the things we got wrong. We didn't recognise the level of risk to a little boy's health from the mould in the family's home. We allowed a legal disrepair process, widely used in the housing sector, to get in the way of promptly tackling the mould". On 19 November 2022, Swarbrick was dismissed as chief executive of the housing association by its board.{{Cite web |title=Awaab Ishak: Housing boss sacked after boy's mould death |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-63689579 |access-date=19 November 2022 |date=19 November 2022 |work=BBC News}}
The Housing Ombudsman, Richard Blakeway, exercised his powers to carry out a further investigation to see if the complaint was indicative of wider failure from the landlord.{{cite news |title=Ombudsman writes to Rochdale Boroughwide Housing following Awaab Ishak inquest |url=https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/2022/11/16/ombudsman-writes-to-rochdale-boroughwide-housing-following-awaab-ishak-inquest/ |access-date=16 November 2022 |publisher=Housing Ombudsman Service |date=16 November 2022}} In March 2023, Blakeway's report stated that the housing association's residents had been treated in "dismissive, inappropriate or unsympathetic ways". It concluded that service failures were widespread, including matters of record keeping and communications.{{cite news |title=Awaab Ishak: Rochdale housing group dismissed residents - report |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-65091686 |access-date=28 March 2023 |publisher=BBC News |date=28 March 2023}}
Legislative changes
{{Main|Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023#Awaab's Law}}
In February 2023, the Government announced it would implement "Awaab's Law", which will require social housing providers to remedy reported damp and mould within certain time limits. The Housing Secretary Michael Gove made the announcement as he met with Awaab's family in Rochdale.{{cite web |title=Government to deliver Awaab's Law |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-to-deliver-awaabs-law |website=Gov.uk |publisher=Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities |access-date=10 February 2023}} The new law is part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 which received Royal assent on 20 July 2023.{{cite web |title=Landmark Social Housing Act receives Royal Assent to become law |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/landmark-social-housing-act-receives-royal-assent-to-become-law |website=Gov.uk |publisher=Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities |access-date=28 July 2023 |date = 20 July 2023}}
See also
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ishak, Awaab}}
Category:Black British history