Woman to have baby taken away at birth...

[SharpMolarBear]

because she is likely to suffer from Munschausen's syndrome by proxy

there are certainly m&B unit in coventry...

I haven't got a new Social Worker yet no. It's actually Birmingham that I come under now, so I don't want to put you in a difficult position by asking anything else as I'm guessing you have some role in the system (I don't mean that to sound as Orwellian as it does - I need to find a word other than "system" - it always makes me think of conspiracies!)

Fran

Hey Fran

Just popping in to say I'm thinking of you and praying that SS can get their act toogether and make something happen for you. It is outrageous that they might take Molly from you just because they can't afford the alternative. And we are supposed to be a 'developed' society. Hmm...

xx

I am not SW/swa but work in childrens services in bham, so can not post any further comments as your daughter will be known to me professionally once she is born. Sorry, I just don't think its appropriate.

That's fine, that's why I thought it best to say so now.

Thanks,

Fran

I really hope you can get a mother and baby place. Could you ask where there are some available and go there even if it is not in your area? Is that allowed?

I think that there is a duty under the Children's Act for Mum and Baby to be kept together where at all possible. I'm guessing that when all the reports are in, and none support separation, that there would be a reasonable argument to be made for a mother and baby placement of one type or another either in or out of area. I'm just speculating/hoping now though. I've no real idea is probably the most accurate answer!

Thanks,

Fran

Well I hope for one you get to prove yourself to these people.

Things like this often make me wonder why I want to be a social worker

"Things like this often make me wonder why I want to be a social worker"

To be one of the multitude of SW's who have a positive, and often life-changing, effect on people's lives during some of their most difficult times! Social workers, in the main, are to be congratulated for sticking with such a difficult, poorly understood, unsupported and maligned job.

Be the change you wish to see and all that...

Fran

Thanks for that

It's just I want to be a social worker for like you said, positive reasons and helping people, not tearing their lives apart!! There is no way I could support anything like that, yet it seems some are happy to do so Makes me wonder if the government bribe some of them!!

Birmingham.... John Hemmings seems to think youre in Warwickshire?

Can you clarify?

Yes. I'm in Birmingham.

Fran

Birmingham is traditionally made of three counties. Worcestershire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire.

I know of a number of children in Birmingham in care that shouldn't be.

Just spent an interesting evening with a friend who is a child social worker in Notts. (didn't mention my current involvement on here!!) We had quite a heated discussion about the secrecy of family courts & she made an interesting statement that " we don't go to court unless we know we can win,it's to protect the child & we can't afford to lose it's too expensive"

That's what I was saying before, because Fran was open with them, they have evidence against her (because they've twisted what she said). It makes their case very strong because the basic facts aren't disputed. Add on to that a respected paediatrician giving his opinion and once again the courts can rubber stamp it. It's almost as if they singled this out a as a strong case rather than because there was any real risk. It's just not possible to tell if someone will commit a crime in the future (unless they have done something similar in the past).

Did she wonder how you could be so well-informed bossybritches!

That doesn't sound good

I kept it very general! It's been a bit difficult since I started researching this "campaign" as I've avoided discussing it, as it's "shop" for her.

Having worked with enough SW's over the years, I think she's a good one she is very concientous & gets very upset about some of her cases (which, to me, shows she still has compassion for her clients unlike some hardened old hands!) The way she talks about cases in general ( she's very discreet & doesn't betray confidentialities) I think she is one of the better ones.

However as I say the conversation became a bit heated as she was VERY defensive of the Family Court system, so we moved away from the subject as we are good friends & don't want it to spoil that. We shall have to agree to disagree as we're always tellling the kids!

Nappyaddict it did sound to me like the Court system is only a rubber stamping excercise to the SW world, which I find a bit alarming.

Hey-ho!

bump

I just read most of this thread (but not all - sorry if this has already been discussed and revealed)

Am I the only one here who struggles to believe that the poster FranLyon is actually Fran herself?

From FranLyon's eloquent, educated and very articulate posts it sounds to me like this is her spokesperson or solicitor. Not that there is anything wrong with them posting here as they probably have a pretty good knowledge of her case and are well positioned to get her story across but surely they should not pretend to be Fran...

yeah, cause Fran wouldn't be eloquent..

Why wouldn't the poster actually be fran. I doubt her solicitor would have that much time on their hands to be posting on mn!!

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that she herself wouldn't be eloquent. Maybe my mind just struggles to believe that something awful like this could happen to someone who sounds so normal.

Anyway - I wish her all the luck, hopefully it will turn out well for her and Molly.

Hi Yanka

I'm a friend of Fran's and she is that eloquent and 'normal' - I guess these things can happen to anyone and mental health problems can happen to anyone. Do you think I sound eloquent, articulate and normal?

Also from knowing Fran there is no way she would let someone else speak for her in such a way - the language she used in her posts reflects exactly what I know of her.

Hope that helps.

Why wouldn't fran be articulate,educated and eloquent? She does have 5 A levels and a degree in neuro-sciences so she is in fact educated and presumably quite articulate.

Yanka - I've watched a couple of TV interviews with Fran, and she is both articulate and educated. I know it's difficult to believe something like this could happen to a "normal" person, which is all the more reason for supporting her. have you signed the petition?

everytime i think of Fran i think "There but for the grace of an understanding midwife go i..."