Saturday 6 March 2010

"They're here already! You're next! You're next, You're next...!"

I feel a bit like Dr Bennell, when I read something like this:
Social workers in England involved in child protection cases should be forced to see young people away from their parent or guardians, the NSPCC says.
No-one else can see the dangers inherent in having social workers question a young child without anyone else present, and act on whatever that child says?

Or on what they say the child has said?

Seriously?
The NSPCC says such a change would help prevent a repeat of cases such as that of seven-year-old Khyra Ishaq, whose mother prevented social workers from seeing her alone at their Birmingham home.
Well, of course you'd say that. There's always a horrible case in the headlines that allows people like you to call for more laws, which will surely make things better. I mean, new laws always do, right?

Blimey, even the unions think this is a step too far!
But Unison, the union that represents most social workers, believes this proposal is not needed.

Helga Pile of Unison said: "We don't believe there is a need for this duty to be put in place... we fear this could be a blunt instrument and be too heavy-handed.

"There are powers for social workers to get a court order or involve the police if they need to see a child alone, but in many other cases they won't want to have to go in with this insistence that they see the child at that stage."
Indeed.

Should I be out on the motorway, screaming at passing cars by now?

7 comments:

Longrider said...

Yeah, I went into apoplexy when I saw this one, too. They already have the powers necessary to have prevented the recent tragedies. The court order exists as a protection for everyone involved - they have to have sound cause to suspect before obtaining one, thereby protecting parents from spiteful behaviour, yet providing access in genuine cases. They do not need more powers, merely the intelligence to use the ones they have properly.

Jiks said...

I'm surprsed our benevolent and caring State allows the risk of parents ever being within molesting range of their offspring, nevermind when social workers are present.

I mean, surely it would be safer if they were taken away at birth and raised in creches by their life style coaches and 5 a day co-ordinators? That way they could be protected from the risks of cannabalism, satanic rituals and a sensible upbringing or whatever this weeks parents-are-evil scare story is ...

Won't someone think of the chilllldren??!!!11

manwiddicombe said...

In other news hundreds of undetected paedophiles are rushing to sign up as social workers ......

Anonymous said...

Helga Pile...giggle.

Anonymous said...

Of course the little dears should have even more powers. After all it is not as though they have abused the powers they already have...
Soon parents will retutn to their homes after a day at work to find the place wrecked. Across the lounge wall a spray painted "tag".
"We Have Your Children"
The parents will look into each other's eyes and realise...
"My God! We've had Social Workers!"
TTFN :)

banned said...

Henry got there before me, I am sure that you made it up,"Helga Pile of Unison " LOLs.

JuliaM said...

"They do not need more powers, merely the intelligence to use the ones they have properly."

That's the hardest thing for the authorities to admit, though; that they have employed people with insufficient intelligence.

"Helga Pile...giggle."

Yes, there's been a rash of rather unfortunate names in these sort of reports lately...

"The parents will look into each other's eyes and realise...
"My God! We've had Social Workers!""


Heh!