General Chat

Suzian

what exactly are you asking?

huh?

Sorry, Anne, if it's not clear

I was just trying to start a debate - as the title of this thread requested!

I was wondering what people thought about whose responsibility it is to take care of our children? Parents or the state?

Lol Sue

Interesting question, Sue - I feel that the responsibility for children lies with those who bring them into the world or to those who take on the parental role. But when those responsible fail, the rest of society has a moral obligation of care.

Social workers and Social Services are part of a wider support in our society and have the heavy burden of looking after the children whose parents don't or can't. Not an easy task - they represent the rest of us in society and mostly do a fine job. Unfortunately when they don't, the consequences can be awful.

Sue
that's made it clear to me now - thank you for that!

The first responsibilty of a child is the parent.
Failing that the state has to be responsibile for the upkeep of the child.

well it is a topical one that's for sure...

I often thought in the past of being a social worker, but I am not 'detached' enough to do it...would get too emotionally involved.

but I do believe that sometimes 'qualifications' are stressed too highly and whilst degrees are great, they are no replacement for common sense and experience... also that all parties, SWs , parents, doctors, etc must be kept better informed... the right hand should know what the left hand is doing if I can put it that way...think it is too often a case of bad communication that lets children slip through the safety net


Edited as I was still typing while the question was explained a little more...

as a mum (god help me) I feel it is my responsibility to try and make sure i give the world a decent human being
( when he's past the teenage grunting stage !) who is kind, tolerant and compassionate.... will have to wait and see on that one!
xx

parents but sometimes they need a bit of

support ....but dont get it

the government passes the buck changes legislation

etc more than they change their undies and then you get instances like this poor 'baby p' happening....

The outcry that followed Victoria Climbe (sp) was supposed to stop all this but never will until the government and lea's put there money where thier mouths are.

just read my post back ....didnt mean baby p's

parents ...... was just generalising


crawls back to corner .....

Hi Anne and Uggers

I think you're both right, but I guess the real question is - who decides that the parent(s) aren't doing the right thing, and when does the state take over?

It must be obvious where this question is coming from - and I'm not trying to subscribe blame to any one party. (although in this case the blame is obvious) but, more to the point, what could we (and I do mean we) have done differently?


Lol Sue

Sue
I'm afraid I think that a child with injuries (like baby P) should be treated as 'suspicious' no matter what excuses the mother gives to the authorities!

I know social services try their best to keep children with the family or for things to be sorted out because that's the ideal.

Trouble is there is outcry when children are taken into care and outcry when they aren't. I suppose we hear about these because 'Social Services successfully helps child' doesn't interest anyone. They're only human beings and it's just so sad that when they (or the system) fails it has such terrible consequences.

I agree, Anne.

I don't disagree with you, Anne, but what if there are too many potential Baby Ps and too few social workers?

After all, I don't believe that social workers are inhumane monsters, and I don't suppose you do either.

Which leads me on to think that perhaps social services need more staff and therefore society needs to dish out a bit more cash to pay for same.


Lol Sue

I agree Rose and I feel I have done just that with my 2 but not easy despite having a great support network. I am proud of the way they have grown into respectful, mature caring members of society. Also that my grandchildren are heading the same way :)

As for others they are not so fortunate and need support from society but dont always get it . I see this all too often in my job. There has been great improvemnt but we (yes we) can do better .

The recent events should not in my opion have happened . The warning signals were there for long enough and that child should of been removed to a place of safety . I cant understand why he was not .

Sue
how many social workers does it take to say 'that child needs help'?

I know the system is under provided for financially but is it not better to remove a child and then return it to it's parents than to fail to remove a child and then have an undertaker remove it?
Anne

No social workers are not inhumane they are in the thick of it and sometimes cant do right for doing wrong. I for one wouldnt have thier job for any money.

However those injurys were so suspicious it isnt true and the doctor who allowed him to go home with broken ribs and a broken back !!!!

I blame PC for some of it as it gets in the way

'Safeguarding Children' is high on the agenda in my work just now and lack of communication is a big problem.....people dont like confronting the problem but it has to be done sometimes. The child MUST come first .

Perhaps Anne

But on the other hand how many Panorama programmes about children being taken from their parents without cause have you seen?

That's the trouble with a witch hunt - it produces witches, not causes.

Lol Sue

Sue

can I repeat that it is better to remove children and return them than to have an undertaker remove them?

Hi Sue2

I quite agree. The idea of Children's Boards was borne out of an aspiration for better communication. A laudable idea, but it was predicated on form, not function.

And there's more than a bit of PC at work here.

Lol Sue

Its time I was off to bed night all.

Im getting confused with all the Sues lol


nite tc

luv sue x

Goodnight Sue 2 - take care