**Trigger Warning** Title edited by MNHQ Very distressing news story about murder of 24 day old baby

[A580Hojas]

Aibu to not comprehend how it can be possible that newborn baby Stanley Davies, who had been in hospital on 3 occasions with broken ribs and limbs (if I am reading the reporting correctly) was sent back home with his parents and not removed from them by Social Services? I just cannot fathom how that could happen.

Someone is guilty of failing massively in their duty of care here (I refer to the professionals, not his parents). Unless any more knowledgeable Mumsnetters can explain to me how this might have happened?

They seem to have been well known for disturbances and drug taking. That should have somehow red-flagged them

Agreed.

*Yeah. Do you realise how many families are actually on CS databases for this? Just because people take drugs it doesn’t necessarily make them terrible parents^.

How many children are you willing to sacrifice?

There has to be more concerns than these to allocate a Social Worker.

There shouldn't be - a stoned and/or drunk parent is not a fit parent.

This happens because some people should never be parents. That's the bottom line. Some people just do not have that maternal instinct to care for and protect their children and no amount of parenting classes and support will change that. I think its time w stopped thinking of that parents wants and needs and think about those who cannot fight their own corner

Agreed - no-one has a right to be a parent, inadequate parents don't deserve to be parents.

And the hypocrisy on this thread is quite astounding. How many times have I (and others) been called uptight for denouncing parents who take drugs. A bit of recreational cocaine....what are you getting hysterical about ? Fuck off.

Well said, AnyFucker, the "Oh nothing wrong with cannabis or a bit of cocaine, it's harmless" brigade turn my stomach. This is not the first child who has died because the parents have been stoned/coked out of their heads/drunk as skunks and, sadly, won't be the last. If you want to take drugs or drink to excess DON'T have children. If you do, those children should be removed from you immediately they are born.

RedDogsBeg

Go and spend a day with a Social Worker - please.

I am relieved that this poor child only had to bear 3 weeks of this .

I am not sure what’s more upsetting . This awful story, or the very valid feedback from child social workers on this thread . I completely believe them all . To take a baby off a mother is not easily done .

Shaken

@whatsthestory it's not just about what foster carers are available - it's human nature that children will have better outcomes with their own parents, even ones we might deem shitty, compared to the trauma and loss of belonging that comes with forced removal. Separation, even when it appears in the child's best interests, causes huge issues and is one of the reasons why it is only done if absolutely essential.

Thats before we consider ethical debates like social engineering, or the fact that foster carers can give notice when things aren't working out or their circumstances change.

And drugs ? Loads of people take drugs

Drugs isn’t what makes you do what they did . It’s pure evil . That’s what made them do it . I can’t even say the usual ‘hope they get done over inside line . Won’t mean anything for that poor baby will it

@LRD what do you suggest someone seeing all this going on with their loved one does.
I told SS
Police were involved in many incidents.
The violent person was a known criminal, the type with a record as long as your arm (probably longer)
I am not macho at all, I am not male not even a tomboy type. I was let down as well as the direct victims.
Realistically there are short budgets in almost every council office but can we really afford to let children, and as a PP mentioned, other vulnerable people suffer? Police will say they don't have the resources so by that reckoning people should be allowed to abuse because there is no budget anywhere.
Think what it must be like to seem to be unworthy f help because of money. People are important

TheBouquets

Where do you suggest we get the money from?

Realistically there are short budgets in almost every council office but can we really afford to let children, and as a PP mentioned, other vulnerable people suffer? Police will say they don't have the resources so by that reckoning people should be allowed to abuse because there is no budget anywhere.
Think what it must be like to seem to be unworthy f help because of money. People are important

But what can social services actually do if they don't have the budget? I'm not being sarcastic; I don't understand what you're saying. Do you want social workers to take on cases for free in their spare time?

I can't read the news or watch it with horror stories like this.
His beautiful little face. I'm sat here having just checked on my three little children one of whom is just a baby and I am silently sobbing that any child is failed and thrown to the wolves.

Wretched hideous fiends.
I genuinely do not know hoe professional people involved with this tragedy move on. I'm not sure - if they let this slip PST - that they ever should.

Valanice1989

Probably. We already do way over our hours which realistically we will never be able to take back.

article i read says he has ADHD

MrsDylanBlue I am not placing the blame at the feet of Social Workers, the blame should be spread society wide. We have to stop the rhetoric that everybody has a right to a child and have to stop normalising and accepting illegal drug taking and drinking to excess in people who have or are with others who have children. As I said if you want a life of drug taking and drinking you choose that or having children you don't get both.

the step dad has adhd i mean

@MrsDylanBlue I cant speak for all councils but my council are a terrible waste of money. They once sent me 8 letters from the same department on the same day in separate envelopes. I don't know the costs but surely one larger envelope sending the information would ave been a better use of envelopes. Postage would probably have worked out cheaper. That is only one incident. Their constant waste of money and resources is ridiculous and only make them look daft that they can not work out a cost effective way to send information.

I do think that more effective interventions would be better for SS. It needs to be laid on the line i.e this is not acceptable and you have 7 days to sort it or we take more strenuous actions. Not hanging around for nearly 5 years while horrible things are happening to a number of people from very young to senior citizens at the hands of a known criminal.

@Valanice I expect councils to use their incomes efficiently and effectively see my post of 23.12

I do think that more effective interventions would be better for SS. It needs to be laid on the line i.e this is not acceptable and you have 7 days to sort it or we take more strenuous actions. Not hanging around for nearly 5 years while horrible things are happening to a number of people from very young to senior citizens at the hands of a known criminal

What does any of that mean? What is an "effective intervention"? What "strenuous action" will they take? It's just words with no substance.

Also who is the "we" who will be taking the "strenuous action"?

Can anyone explain to me why it’s the social workers ‘fault’ ?

Did he not only attend hospital once ? I thought the injuries were done on 3 separate occasions. What opportunities did SS have to save him?

The SW rely on the doctors report. The dr thought ima bruise was a birth mark. Again how is this mistake down to SW?

SS always seem like the scapegoat. Where they made aware of the extent of injuries?

Its awful what happened to this poor baby!

Astonished how naive some of you are about life in care.
The sexual and physical abuse is rampant please do not underestimate that before making sweeping statements about someone who has a joint in the evenings (but I do agree doing drugs and binge drinking are huge red flags are certainly far from ideal) often it beats the hell and damage care does.

Think what it must be like to seem to be unworthy f help because of money. People are important

Not to this government they are not. Services for poor, vulnerable, sick, disabled children - cut. All of them.

Professionals are working endlessly, in their FREE time to keep things going and being constantly chastised for failing.

thebouquets, I really don't follow what you are saying.

Do you have money to fund what you're suggesting? No? Then it's empty posturing.

Are you proposing to take on the unpaid time you require from social workers? No? Then it's empty posturing.

I've been one of those people who needed social services' help, FWIW. I have been a child who was beaten up. People like you offer cheap sentimentalism, but no solutions. You make it harder for social workers to do their jobs, by blaming them for things they are not funded to manage.

Professionals are working endlessly, in their FREE time to keep things going and being constantly chastised for failing

YYY

Are you proposing to take on the unpaid time you require from social workers? No? Then it's empty posturing

To be fair with the vacancy rate she could take on the paid work and it would still be a drop in the ocean.

I can't think why they struggle to find staff.

@Drookit they don’t give the child for adoption because they would rather inflict pain and suffering on them. They get ‘pleasure’ from it. The injuries aren’t from an accident or even neglect. They did awful things. I don’t even want to imagine it as it makes me physically sick.
Who are these fu*$king people and why oh why do they have to exist?

@Tessliketrees. No-one should be left with a violent criminal doing violent and criminal things for 5 years, in my opinion. Is your opinion that it would be Ok. Would it be Ok as long as it was not you or yours?
It was not Ok for anyone.
I do not think it was a good choice for SS to allow the situation to go on for years on end. Too many chances, too many risks. SS should have taken strenuous actions.
Do you think the situation in any way was acceptable?
Apart from SS and Police who else did we have to turn to in our efforts to stop people being beaten up including tiny DCs?