I was pleasantly unsurprised by the social worker who appeared on Radio Four this morning over the potential removal into care of four of their children from their parents because they were 'too fat'! The four children (aged 1, 3, 7 & 11) face the situation where they will be 'fostered without contact' or 'adopted'.
Now I have to be honest and say that I do think that letting our kids become obese is an issue and that steps need to be taken (and I understand many have been) but the frightening bit in all of this (for me at least) is the comment from a supposedly aware and competent social worker that. "Parents have no rights only responsibilities!" This professional went on to add that publishing stories like this only caused people to doubt and regard social workers.
Is it any blinking wonder?
I know a goodly number of social workers who are overworked and try to ensure that the right outcome is brought into being and then I know many others who appear to be inept, out of touch and to be honest, totally incompetent (just like dogcollars) and their decisions and outcomes fill the newspapers, promote the popularity of public enquiries and keep coroners busy.
In this case it appears that the parents have worked to meet the demands of the social workers, pity the same can't be said of the professionals with regard to the family.
Pax
Back home - time for a cup of tea and then chapter (Yeeha!)
3 comments:
How much did this cost the Scottish taxpayer?
A parlous state of affairs, especially as English hospitals might have to close because of 'the (Coalition) cuts'.
What did the Dundee social workers actually accomplish during their meal monitoring?
Churchmouse
Totally agree with the questions and the issues they highlight. Seems the family has worked at complying and if there is any failure to be commented upon, it is that of the various professionals involved with this case.
The social worker has an authoritarian concept of the relationship between the individual and the state. She should be dismissed. But presumably the powers that be consider her to be excellent at her job, as she was acting as a spokesman. This is no longer the country I used to think I lived in.
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