Christian girl, 5, is forced into foster care with veiled Muslim carers who 'took away her crucifix, stopped her eating bacon and encouraged her to learn Arabic'

The girl, who was white and a native English speaker, spent the past six months in two Muslim households after being placed into foster care in Tower Hamlets, east London. Local authority reports describe how the little girl sobbed and begged not to be returned to her niqab-wearing carer's home, telling a social worker: 'They don't speak English.' The reports, seen by The Times, detail how the child was 'very distressed' and claimed the foster carer had removed her Christian cross and encouraged her to learn Arabic. It was even suggested that the carer had forbidden her from eating a carbonara meal, because it contained bacon - which Muslims do not eat. The two placements were made by Tower Hamlets borough council against the wishes of the family of the girl (not pictured).