Martin Narey debate on FiveLIve NOW

[Choccyjules]

If you can stomach Victoria Derbyshire there's a phone-in on now with Sir Martin Narey picki up on the changes to assessment of adopters and the decision that children's plans are for adoption.

Thanks choccy

I'm not sure whether to listen back - public phone in's can go either way, I've heard interesting ones, and ones where the presenter keeps reading out stupid stuff which pees me off

What was this one like?

Well, I think it was actually fairly well-balanced.

Someone (not sure if a SW or a parent) pulled her up strongly on the use of 'children languishing in care' which meant I could keep listening as that had got me quite riled. They went into why that was the wrong thing to say in some detail, which I think will have helped people not familiar with the care system to think about FC in a more positive light.

There was a SW there saying that everything the adoptive parents interviewed had experienced was 'not something she recognised, doesn't happen in her area'...

Adoptive parents talked about delays in various parts of the system, having to be fully assessed twice to adopt a second time and post-adoption support.

Sir Martin Nary was careful and a bit like a politician BUT did say his uppermost priority was to sort out post-adoption support. He also said he thought things could be speeded up without losing out on effective decisions being made properly.

I am just relieved I've made it through a phone-in on this topic without throwing something!

Can I listen again and if so where, please?

Is this it?

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007v5cz

Not available yet but should be soon.

Hi Italian yes that looks like it.

On listening to the news bulletins today it seems the 'languishing in care' quote comes from Mr Cameron. Nice.

Listening back now - so glad that Gareth is taking issue with the phrase 'languishing in care'. I really hate it.

Languish means: "be forced to remain in an unpleasant place or situation"

Even for children who need to be adopted, that implies something negative about their foster carers, most of whom are doing a fabulous job of parenting. My eldest daughter was 4 years in care before she came to me, but when I met her, she wasn't 'languishing', she was 'achieving', 'progressing', and generally 'doing very well' in the care of her wonderful foster mother.

For children whose long term plan is care, who are thriving in care, an who cannot 'go home', to say they are languishing is insulting.

Care can definitely be a difficult and unpleasant situation for some children, but that doesn't mean we should be using such a laden phrase about ALL children in care