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Original poster

getting together information and support for EVERYONE in the child protection system

287 replies

Spero · 21/01/2014 16:50

I am posting here, mainly because I am not sure what I am doing and I don't want to do anything against the rules or contrary to the site ethos.

In a nutshell, a lot of us have been contributing to various threads since before Christmas about the child protection system in the UK and all the controversy that has arisen since the case of Alessandra Pacchieri and the issue of 'forced adoption'.

We have perspectives from every part of the child protection system - there are birth parents, adoptive parents, social workers, lawyers etc and we think it could be a good idea to try to do something to bring us all together, to help people get access to information that is balanced and useful, particularly if they are facing care proceedings or worried they might be.

At the moment, we are thinking a blog could help, with different people providing short posts about their experiences and providing links to other sources that we know are credible and reliable. This could be very valuable for all of us - I am a lawyer for e.g. but I would love to know more about what doctors working in child protection are looking out for, and I would like to get more perspectives from birth parents about what they think is good or bad about the system.

We are also wondering if there could be a separate topic in 'Parenting' - Dealing with child Protection issues or similar, which could link to the blog, once we get if off the ground.

So sorry quite a lot of info there. Trying to précis

  1. We have a lot of untapped knowledge and experience and would like to pull it altogether to provide a good source of reliable and balanced advice
  2. We would like to start a blog, does anyone want to contribute or can think of snappy name?
  3. We would like to use the power of mumsnet to steer people towards our information and provide another platform for discussion and debate
4.What's the best way of going about this?

Any comments, thoughts welcomed.

OP posts:
YoniMatopoeia · 21/01/2014 21:13

I'm in to help in any way I can. I have no expert knowledge, nor personal experience, but I can wave pom poms and bake cake. I am full of admiration for the good work that you are all doing.

MNHQ
CatherineMumsnet · 21/01/2014 20:13

Hi Spero, thanks for posting - it's certainly very interesting. We'll review this when the rest of the team are back in the office in the morning. Please do keep the thoughts and opinions coming.

inlovewithgarp · 21/01/2014 20:11

Yes, am definitely in. As I said to Spero earlier - I will be very very proud to offer a voice to birth parents whose babies are removed at birth on "future risk of emotional harm" - I have been there, I have lived it, I have survived it and I have now won my case. All I needed - desperately - when my baby was removed was for someone to offer succint, concise, articulate, and - most importantly - accurate advice and to tell me how to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. I would be quite honoured to be able to do that for others.

Thank you Thanks

WestmorlandSausage · 21/01/2014 18:59

Yey found you all... sorry been at work all day but I see the seedling of an idea has started growing. Amazing!

I'm happy to help out in whichever way I can.

NoseWiperExtraordinaire · 21/01/2014 18:41

I appreciate where you're coming from Anywhere, and thanks Smile.

I think this is what has been so difficult for so many people. In some respects they (JH & IJ) have uncovered a lot of issues which DO exist, but are coming at it from the wrong angle, so we have a bit of truth mixed in with conspiracy, and driven by a lack of understanding about the effects of abuse and how the system works. A potentially lethal and heady concoction!

BoreOfWhabylon · 21/01/2014 18:34

Spero et al, you are all so fabulous! Flowers Wine Cake

I've reported Spero's OP to MNHQ, in the hope that they'll be along to answer her queries.

BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability · 21/01/2014 17:20

Good plan. Also, if anyone else is reading this, ideas start to come together as in speros op, towards the end of this thread

AnywhereOverTheRainbow · 21/01/2014 17:19

Nose

JH and IJ lack of knowledge about abuse issues (of any kind, not just emotional) is appalling. They have been reported since December for their posts and ideas to the relevant associations.

I would keep that out of the thread at the moment ;)

Just wanted to let you know that we are working on it :) Thanks

NoseWiperExtraordinaire · 21/01/2014 17:15

I reported the last thread with a plea for MN to help guide this in some way. Might have been overzealous there but I think when there's been a breakthrough in communication and debate has become positive after such a hard slog, it's important to seize that energy and run with it!

BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability · 21/01/2014 17:07

Whatever we end up doing, I'm in
Eating dinner atm though so

Original poster
Spero · 21/01/2014 16:59

Garp says the Family Rights Group already does some very clear explanations of the law, so we can link to that or find links to other resources.

I can explain 'risk' and 'threshold criteria' - it would be good to get a psychologist to do a short piece on 'emotional harm' - what it encompasses, why it is harmful.

If you listen to JH and IJ they seem to have no understanding at all of what emotional harm can mean and dismiss it as trivial.

OP posts:
NoseWiperExtraordinaire · 21/01/2014 16:57

Can I kick off with you mentioning on the other thread about exploring info to dismiss myths around emotional harm. YYY to that, and also in laymen's terms what constitutes "being at risk of" and explaining "threshold criteria".