General Chat

I reported my ex FIL for abusing my daughter.
The result...?
He got off with a caution, my girls lost one half of their family overnight - but we had peace of mind that this low life would never harm my girls again.

I work with vulnerable families and am sometimes involved with child protection cases. Our focus is, and should always be THE CHILD. It is so easy to be sucked into the parents problems and issues, but at all times we have to imagine the child at the centre of what we are doing. This is the only way to help eliminate child cruelty.

Frances

Esta I am so sorry for what happened but I was in same boat but they believed him rather than me but I would not let anything happen to my kids if I could help it and if I thought a child was in danger would say something

couldn't agree more Liz - had I been a person in authority in that department I would have been in tears over what happeed, certainly not so calm and collected as that woman was - I doubt I would have been in a fit state to give an interview even. And what about that MP Hewit, someone I always found to be so patronising in the way she spoke to the media, she was told six months before the baby died that things were not right in Haringey - she should be brought to book. We all know that ultimately the low life who tortured this poor little mite are responsible for what happened to him, but he should have been protected by the people who were paid, highly paid, to see no harm came to him. I have no doubt this will happen again, and is probably happenening as we speak. I would report anyone and be damned for it, I can take it, a little defenceless child can't. If I was mistaken I would be able to apologise and would do so, but I would have done my utmost to see that a child was protected.

I read this earlier, about Baby P's father - why did he not realise the child was being abused so awfully?

'In a statement read by his lawyer the boy's father said: "Those who systematically tortured P and killed him kept it a secret, not just from me but from all the people who visited the house up until P's death.
"Even after he died, they lied to cover up their abuse.
"The verdicts will help to bring closure for what has been a very traumatic time for me, P's family and indeed all '


Surely this father must have noticed the change in a 'bouncing baby boy' as he called him, or did he never visit him or take him out? As others have asked, where were the grandparents?

It says in one report that the Shoesmith woman from Haringey council, who has not really issued an apology, was holidaying in New York and other places not long after this poor little baby died. Does she have a conscience? I hope someday that her conscience does prick and she never has peace knowing she and her dept could have done more to save Baby P from such a dreadful life and death.

Lizx

Jill in Tinsel Town - The Powers that Be do have the power to remove children and do so frequently. there is a also and 'At Risk' register that is widely circulated to hospitals and GPs. They have FAR more power than the RSPCA. In this case they failed to do so and the usual reason given is overwork - too few social workers and too many 'at risk' kids. Don't blame anyone for this rather than the freaks who did this.

I don't think we care for animals more than children at all - not by a long way. Cruelty figures towards animals can easily prove this. But in the case of this baby, it is so much easier to blame Social Services than the weird perverts who have these children. Cruelty will always exist and unless we give more money and power to the services that monitor these cases they will continue to happen. We as individuals need to be more observant. I wonder what the neighbours of these torturers were doing while all this was going on?

But my point was if the RSPCA have those sort of powers against people who are cruel to animals why on earth aren't there similar powers against people who are cruel to children? There doesn't seem to be any logic in it.

I was thinking of something a bit quick and basic for the chap involved Ann but didn't like to say it ...

well I suggested neutering - should have said sterilising!!! Anyone who is cruel to animals is capable of cruelty to children too - both are defenceless against a bully.

How soon before we hear the moron in this case had a bad childhood!!! As if I care

in reply to Rosalyns comment about why did she have a childminder? did she work? I was given a childminder firstly for my twins then when he came along my youngest too. NO I didn't work, this was simply because I was suffering from PND. It gave me room to breathe and be me just for little while each week, and it gave me the chance to be with my eldest and spend quality time with her.
My childminder was paid for by SS, like the mother in question I guess.

Last night there was something on TV about a woman who had been accused by the RSPCA of mistreating her dog. Case went to court. Sentence could have been - not being allowed to keep dogs for life, fine of several thousand pounds, several months in prison. That particular case came to nothing but, if they can do that for animals (I love animals and I keep animals) why on earth can't they do it for people? And, (this may sound a bit awful) if they have abused their child why should they not be sterilised to prevent that ever happening again? 'Cos I doubt that a life sentence will mean life.

Jill

well if I had my way they would both be neutered so they could never have children and there should be some way of ensuring that neither of them ever again have charge of a child - there should be a register for child abusers as there is for paedophiles and they should be made to register wherever they go - the authorities should always have knowledge of where they are living and they should be watched for the rest of their lives

The Darklord adds

What punishment is there left to us we can use?

Nothing that is fit for them

I'm with you Andrea - I too would report and be damned. If it was a mistake I could apologise which I would but I'd rather have to apologise than hear that harm had been done to a child when I could have prevented it

Hi Esta

I am really sorry that you were abused and I absolutely agree that we all have a responsibility to prevent children form being abused.

Maybe I'm in the minority but I would certainly report it and I would hope others would have the confidence to keep at it even when it seems nothing is being done about it.

Best Wishes

Andrea

Do not forget this child was seen by a DOCTOR 2 days before he died,a Paediatrician according to reports

No one should be appointed a Social Worker untill they have had some experience of life - if they have just left University with top qualifications they should still have to have work experience in areas which will equip them with the knowledge they require

We have an advert on TV here at the moment
A baby is born handed to the mother and the mother says where's the instruction book to go with it.
I laughed when I first saw it but on second thoughts SOME mothers have no skills on how to bring a child up especially when they are children themselves. Doesn't seem to matter to them that they are being abused.

We all make mistakes through life and no one is perfect but those Social Workers are like most of your Government Workers they are programmed to a certain level and then they don't know any more.
First bruise I saw on any child I would report to my department if I was a Social Worker and would not rest until something was done about it.
These Children would still be alive today if we had people who know about children like Mothers that have brought up a family in a healthy invironment, so I agree with Teddy's Girl completely make sure these workers know about children before giving them this SPECIAL JOB. Children's lives are at stake.
Regards
Jackie

I think this has been bubbling away for some time, waiting for the balloon to go up.

Bottom line is that Social Services, are not fit for purpose. I'm sure the problem is now endemic across the country, not helped by government interference and insistence on spending more time filling in forms, meeting stupid and meaningless targets, and putting ticks in boxes, rather than actually doing the work they should be doing.

Heads must roll this time and this must at the very top. It is no use making scapegoats of individual social workers as has happened in the past.

My sil brought up five children, and when they were off hand,she thought she would like to do social work, helping new mums, just those wanting to know if everything was alright. Being able to talk to someone who had brought her own children up well.

She had to go to Classes to learn Child Welfare, before she was accepted.She did this, as she really wanted to help.,and successfully ran a Help Group in a Church Hall. We were all amused, that she had to 'go back to school' , as she had always looked after her own well.

I might add that her first two children were born, when their father had lost his job, and he retrained for another one. She never went to work all this time, but made do on a small allowance.

This is what they want in Social Services, good Mums, who have brought their own families up, not these people with a degree in this and that, and no common sense.