Panorama - I want my baby back

[BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability]

Anyone watching?

This promoting of the idea that SS want to steal babies makes me very uneasy...

[Cranky01]

I disagree, I think we are far to quick to believe medical professional, their opinions being the only ones that are vaild because of their training.

Do you remember louise Woodward ( the nanny found guilty of shaking to death Matthew Eppen) the expert involved had since said that he wouldn't testify if the case was now. But yet 10 years ago he was so confident and dramatic.

[Locd35]

I am. I'm glad the idea makes you feel uneasy because I don't know that many social workers eager to take babies.

[Cranky01]

But it's not really about social workers it's about medical evidence.

[jonicomelately]

The use of the word 'stealing' is ridiculous and emotive. Social services are made up of human beings, and human beings can make mistakes. This should be discussed, rather than swept under the carpet.

[BigOrange]

I'm really not sure how I feel about it to be honest. I feel really naive for thinking that SS wouldn't take children that easily.

[Locd35]

True; but the programme appears to focus on social workers and the family court, rather than the medical professionals. That's definitely how they advertised it, and what they centre on in my opinion.

[Cranky01]

But a social worker is only as good as their training and life skills. Time is often needed to delve into cases which is not available.

[Cranky01]

Because the social worker uses medical evidence to put forward a case, but I wonder if the medical professional would be so sure if it was their career on the line

[CosyTeaBags]

I don't want to believe that SS would ever take a child away from their innocent parents due to an assumption of abuse and ignorance of medical conditions that would make a child prone to injuries.

Surely, surely, there's more to it than just SS being alerted to an injured child, the parents unable to explain the injury, and the child is taken away?

[jonicomelately]

Watching those parents and grandparents say goodbye to their child for the last time was utterly heratbreaking. I find it impossible to believe those people are anything less than loving towards that little boy.

[Cranky01]

But as can't be right 100% of the time. Their are parents who have had their children taken away when they shouldn't have. Just like children who should have been taken away.

You are relying on some people professional competency

[Cranky01]

As = ss

[Lilka]

Social workers are not doctors, they are not medical experts. They HAVE to go on what doctors and medical experts tell them

So yes, if doctors in hospital believe a childs fractures have been caused by the parents of course they will call social services. They have a duty to do so. Social services will act immediately to protect the child which might mean getting an EPO and removing the child from the hospital. What would people rather they did? Let the parent take the child and find 5 new fractures when the child is next taken to hospital?

[Sparklysilversequins]

This happened to a family member and yes they did remove her child at only a few weeks old. Fortunately her parents were allowed to care for her and after a year she was returned with no further action.

It really does happen.

[BigOrange]

Cosy I echo the last part of your post. It can't have been as 'easy' as that, surely?

[CosyTeaBags]

God that's awful

[Cranky01]

I' m not blaming s workers by any stretch, they can only work on what they have.

It's the confidence the medical profession shows and I guess the unwillingness to consider any other reason or suggestions

[MrsBW]

Of course it isn't that easy.

But telling both sides of the story doesn't make good TV.

[CosyTeaBags]

You'd like to think it can't be that easy. Surely they go on more than that...?

[SchroSawMargeryDaw]

I haven't watched it yet but I have a medical condition that causes very easy bruising and fragile skin (if I scratch an itch I look like I've been attacked by a cat) and various full and partial dislocations. It's been quite common in years past for children who had this undiagnosed (it's hard to diagnose and after more than 10 years I had a formal diagnosis at 20) to be removed, it's also genetic with a high probability of it being inherited (50/50).
I'll wait until I watch before I decide what I think of this particular show but I think there are lots of children who have been removed when they shouldn't have.

[MrsBW]

They 'go on' what the doctors tell them.

If a medical professional asserts that injuries are as a result of abuse, they 'go on' that.

[CosyTeaBags]

Of course it isn't that easy. But telling both sides of the story doesn't make good TV

That's what I was thinking. There was the mother who's partner made a confession, allegedly because he thought it would help her. They kind of just threw that in at the end.

[MrsBW]

And lots of children Schro who haven't been removed when they should have.

It's tragic in both cases ... And it's the children who I feel most sorry for.

[Rollermum]

It was chilling to watch - seeing them
Say goodbye was horrible.

It was interesting that the government is going to make changes to evidence giving and expert witness. It is god they are addressing the flaws in the system but obviously it is too late for some.

[Locd35]

The thing is that if it was a condition I'd expect the injuries to continue once in care. If so the child would be returned as happened in one of the cases.