Child cruelty

[badger]

Have just seen on the news that the killers of Leticia Wright have been sentenced and was so upset by the details of the terrible torture inflicted on that lovely little girl. I don't suppose any of us can understand the mentality of people like this but what also makes me so angry is that social workers were called and apparently found nothing. Are they not able to speak to children in private where abuse is suspected and did they even examine her? Why, when she was taken to A&E 8 times, did no-one at the hospital query her repeated injuries? All children hurt themselves but surely that must have seemed excessive.

There is a report on the front page of the .org today that domestic abuse is likely to continue or even get worse. What kind of society are we becoming?

[Boozeburglar]

Seems to me that as long as there is a stigma attached to routine investigation by Social Work departments and associated professionals there will be those who are able to cover up abuse like this easily.

I feel we need to err on the side of caution in these cases, in the favour of the possible victimes, always investigate injuries and reports of strange goings on, and allow the services involved to make mistakes in early intervention; because they will get it wrong sometimes.

If only the folk who saw this wee girl looking out that window felt it was their right to find out if she was okay, not just hope she was.

There is such a culture of non-reporting, 'none of my business' in our society we are all complicit in allowing spousal and child abuse to carry on.

[karia]

Hi,

Its worth remembering, simply as a balance, the 'Orkney Child abuse scandal'
where social Workers acted on 'evidence' and removed children from their homes and families on grounds that were later shown to be unfounded.

The parents and children faced a long hard fight over many years to be re-united and now the young adults, robbed of their families, in their formative years are mounting cases against the SWD and councils.

Social workers are often damned if they do, damned if they don't!

All child cruelty is abominable,...including that inflicted by the 'state'

karia

[anneoctober]

As boozeburglar has said, basically we ARE too scared to stand up and be counted. What if we get it wrong? We've tarnished someone's good name. Or may become targets ourselves for retaliation. I would very much like to think as a mum & nana myself that I would have the courage of my convictions and go ahead and report such abuse. Unfortunately our social services are under staffed, It's an extremely stressful job to which there seems to be a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" scenario. How do we strike the right balance? I'm not making excuses for anyone involved in this particular case. Eight times admitted to hospital IS ridiculous and nothing be brought to the authorities attention. No one can hold their head high, with the terrible death this wee lass has suffered. How many more are suffering out there and in our own county?

[corgiman]

This should Never ever happen, having grown up in the social work system I often thought when I was young that social workers acted too fast in those days and split families up way too quickly with heartbreaking consequences but as I got older I saw that we had suddenly swung the totally opposite direction, nowadays heroin addicts are being left with their kids and these children have terrible lives literally having to bring themselves up in often terrifying surroundings, children are abused horrifically but the social workers who have visited see nothing wrong??? there is a culture and idea of leaving children within the family setting these days I am sorry but this just does not work and these children are being failed and let down horrendously. Authorities said after the Victoria Columbie case that this would not be allowed to happen again and huge amounts of money were pumped into paperwork and internal investigations. This money would have been better spent looking at the system and actually finding ways to protect these children and give them a way of escape. Stop pandering to the Suing culture and act faster a childs life is worth way more than money and I personally would rather see a mistake made to protect a child than a mistake made that ends a childs life.

[jsherris]

Stop pandering to the Suing culture and act faster a childs life is worth way more than money and I personally would rather see a mistake made to protect a child than a mistake made that ends a childs life.

Well said!
We formed a Residents Association in our street last year - only a small street, but more than enough problems - and we have a large amount of houses here which have been converted into flats.
I called Social Services after a neighbour came to me & told me of the verbal abuse she heard every night & day through the wall. The little girl in question was left for periods of time, while her mum popped 'out'.......
Anyhow, social services weren't interested - in any shape or form - I told them how the mum shouted at the child & what things were said, how she left the little girl in the evenings, but the lady from the council said that unless she was on 'the register', there wasn't a lot she could do.
I was mortified. The flat curtains were never opened, the child never played out in the yard & several folk in the street didn't even know there WAS a child living there!

A couple of us tried to talk to the Mum - in general, you understand & tried to get her to mix with us lot (we're a friendly bunch in our street) but to no avail.
So, eventually, another nieghbour telephoned the local playschool & had a quiet word...... Social services were seen at the house & have been regular visitors - thankfully a year later, the little girl is a bright happy child, and the Mum has turned herself around a bit - the shouting has stopped, the curtains are opened daily and as far as we know, she's not being left anymore - hopefully, all's well that ends well.
Do I feel guilty for being a stickybeak? No Way!!

[badger]

The Social Services are understaffed and I feel so much could be done to help both parents and children if there were more trained helpers to give them support in the home instead of removing children. I think this couple may have been beyond help but I'm sure there are many cases where struggling parents could manage better with the right support.

[anneoctober]

The Social Services are understaffed and I feel so much could be done to help both parents and children if there were more trained helpers to give them support in the home instead of removing children. I think this couple may have been beyond help but I'm sure there are many cases where struggling parents could manage better with the right support.
It's a vicious circle , there's such stigma attatched to being on the Social work depts files. We're all guilty of pointing the finger, but even more so, for not offering to help where it's needed. Badger, if only there were more like you , corgiman & jsharris......

[j4bberw0ck]

Ithere's such stigma attatched to being on the Social work depts files

Pity help the children and society if the day ever dawns where there is NO stigma attached to failure and abuse; when it's all someone else's fault, or accepted as everyday behaviour.

[Boozeburglar]

Maybe it would be helpful for all parents to have appraisals at six week intervals.

[badger]

Maybe it would be helpful for all parents to have appraisals at six week intervals.

Comes back to lack of staff and proper management supervision. Health visitors see new babies but unless there's an obvious problem I suspect the visits stop fairly quickly so maybe they don't have time to really get to know the families. This mother seems to have moved around a lot and I suppose social services don't get to know about new families moving in but that doesn't excuse the lack of follow-up once the case had been reported.

The Chief Exec. interviewed on radio this morning inspired absolutely no confidence in me - sympathetic but complacent with no sense of urgency to do anything.

Many young parents don't have the family support they used to and time after time it's a new partner who abuses the child. The birth father seemd to have lost contact. Also drugs were said to be involved in this case.

[BRIE]

Why, when she was taken to A&E 8 times, did no-one at the hospital query her repeated injuries? All children hurt themselves but surely that must have seemed excessive.[quote]

The hospital should have queried every injury! Everytime ive taken my children to the hospital A&E ive been asked what happened & told that every visit will be followed with a letter sent to your doctor this is common practice.

[anneoctober]

Pity help the children and society if the day ever dawns where there is NO stigma attached to failure and abuse; when it's all someone else's fault, or accepted as everyday behaviour.
Perhaps I should explain my point a little bit better. I was talking about families who, might like to ask for help but do not because of the stigma of social workers etc. in and out of their homes. In a city perhaps no one would know or care, here in Caithness it's obviously different, most folk know the work that everyone does more or less. Parents ARE human, they DO make mistakes - ( I know better than most) however there are some circumstances where a helping hand is the best option. All cases are different and have to be treated that way.

[olivia]

Child abuse, whether physical or sexual is a crime. Therefore, if people have any doubts about a child's situation they should report it to the police. The police have a duty to investigate any allegation, even if anonymous, and will involve other agencies such as social services as routine procedure. Better it is investigated thoroughly and found to be unfounded than any child suffer in any way because people don't want to get involved.

[horseman]

:(
Wee one taken to a+e 8 times! Karia-why put the 'orkney child abuse scandal' up as a buffer to a case where the most dreadful abuse' has '-
occcured
corgieman good quote ref v. columbie. I'm with you j/s, badger little bit of an inane comment. boozeburglar number 10 comment -crackers! brie-ditto!olivia-this is in our culture in concrete, its the thundering interpretation of it that is at fault

[jsherris]

I'm gonna stick my neck out a little here....
I was in a taxi the other week (and no, I'm not posting on the wrong thread!) and the driver & I got into a debate about 'the kids of today'.....
Well, actually, he was telling me everything that is wrong with today's kids - how they are disrespectful, how they hang round on corners, vandalising, drugs, drinking, verbally abusive... you know the whole rant thing....
And I was sat in the back of the taxi, hmm-ing, not agreeing, but not disagreeing either.... then when he got onto the whole 'I blame the parents' issue, I kindly reminded him that it's actually OUR generation that are these 'parents'.....

Yes folks, it's us - and when most of us were being brought up to mind our P's & Q's, to be seen & not heard, to only talk when we're spoken to, why, oh why have we not done the same with OUR kids?
And although a lot have, a lot haven't, and so the chain goes on.......

Now, I'm not saying that we're all bad, but we're not all good either - society in general has taken a downturn since the 70's - maybe even before that - and now that I'm older, I can see it for myself.
Shame.

[Boozeburglar]

boozeburglar number 10 comment -crackers!

Why?

In England kids on the CPR are reviewed every six to nine weeks, I am suggesting it should always be six weeks, maybe even reduce it to every four weeks.

And kids who are not placed on the CPR but are subject to investigation should be reappraised more regularly than they are currently, don't know the score in Scotland but in England it is six months or so. Obviously that is not going to help in cases where a once at risk kid gets a new adult in their life who is unknown to the services, or whose parent undergoes any major change which may impact on the kid.

There should be a more pro active approach, and mandatory reporting of new events.

Just my thought.

[bluelady]

its absolutely terrible, and then theres e cases of young mothers who make one mistake - and i dont mean child abuse or harm, just lack of knowledge, depression etc, people who are not monsters and have the social on their backs all e time. How can these things go undetected. When my child got hurt at school a youngster - another child pushed her off a climbing frame and broke her wrist, which the school then failed to notice and made her go swimming. By the time she got home, her wrist was huge and i took her to casulty and i was questioned by no less than 3 differant staff, including a child accident investigator. My daughter had a temporary plaster and then had to have a GA the next day to re break and reset the joint. She was questioned again about e accident as she went under e gas and as she came round. We were then seen by a social worker before discharge. All this dispite her having this done to her at primary school, where she was in there care. So i cannae for the life of me fathom how persistant injuries go un-noticed, especially where neighbours etc have informed social services.:mad:

[Ash]

i got pregnant at 16 i had my wee girl at 17, i had the most awful pregnancy and birth, i had no partner, everyone around me apart from my parents thought i wouldnt cope, and i have! not all young parents are inexperienced.... im 21 soon and i know im a good parent - :D