There must be many social workers who do a good job. I have no secret knowledge for coming to this conclusion, only faith in mathematics, which suggests there must be some good ones to balance all the uselessness that prevails in news reports. Perhaps unfairly, we mostly get to hear about social workers when something's gone horribly wrong, there's gross negligence, or there a reason to criticise. Even with a generous disposition, though, there's lunacy within the realms of Social Services because in the last week, we learned of one case where perfectly good parents were denied the opportunity of fostering a child.
The foster parents were not exactly untrained in the role, being that they have four children of their own already. But they have been deemed unsuitable by social workers who have followed council rules. I am not going to get into departmental delineation, 'chicken v egg' discussions on who was forced to adopt which approach. Council, local authority, government, social services, whatever; common sense, fairness and decency should prevail. The rule? You cannot have smoked in the past 12 months.
So, the proposed foster parents have not killed any children, abused them, been found guilty of burglary, fraud or driving without due care and attention. Their own four children are not thought to be in such danger that they need to be forcibly removed and put into 'care'. No, the father has smoked two cigars in the last 18 months. That's right, you heard correctly!
After 10 months of working towards the new arrival, including changes to the family home to accommodate a fifth child, Mr & Mrs Baker were turned down by the CIC. Taking celebratory puffs on two cigars is clearly a crime and harmful from so many perspectives! This would be hilarious if it were not so fucking stupid and have such sad repercussions. By the way, if you're at your brother's wedding in South Africa, and at a works party in London, a puff on a cigar is completely irrelevant to the subsequent consideration on whether a child can safely join four others in a household that's looking to provide a proper home for a foster child. The parents are non-smokers, and celebratory puffs every year do not change that classification.
Essex County Council hides behind a rule. What next? Someone will decide that if you've even once ever driven over the speed limit, you're a danger to children and do not deserve to foster one in case he or she moves at more than 30mph in a built-up area! 33mph doesn't make one a rally driver.
[ CIC = Cunts In Charge ]
...
No comments:
Post a Comment