Panorama - I want my baby back

[BeyondTheLimitsOfAcceptability]

Anyone watching?

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

Of course mistakes are made, didnt explain what i meant very well
Sorry, was watching on ipad so had to use mn app on my phone stupid thing

The programme only focusing on cases where mistakes were made by doctors, (obviously of course, as that was what it was about) and the advice that "the best thing to do is flee the country", and the idea that "when it is happening this often", even though they said they have no idea how often it happens, gave me the impression that it is a genuine fear that is happening very often. Which it isnt.

And I really dont think scaremongering is going to help anyone.

The problem with these programmes is that necessarily we only get one side of the story and a highly edited version at that. The professionals can't comment.

I'm sure ss make mistakes, it happened to an acquaintance of mine. I also know of a case of a child who should have been removed earlier and wasn't.

It's a bloody hard job and not one that I would like to do.

It was that easy for my family member. Took their dd to the doctors as she kept crying when they touched her leg. Found the injury. She was removed and the grandparents were thankfully allowed to take her. The parents weren't allowed to be alone with their dd ever. If they went to visit her and the grandmother left the room then the parents had to leave too. They did it every time too, even though no one was there to see, they were so terrified of losing her.

As I say she was returned and no further action was taken. They've had another child now and there was no SS involvement for that one. It all seemed very wooly tbh and once the dd was returned, there were a few more checks and that was the end.

Never mind they only missed out on a year........

What's worrying is that publicity like this might make parents who have harmed their child more wary of seeking any medical attention for a child's injury, as they would be scared of having the child taken away...

This programme was really very sad and I feel the doctors and medical professionals should be answerig questions. I wonder if they looked into medical situations in other parts of the world where rickets are more common.

There was almost a feeling of rickets has gone, we had cured it so it could not affect anyone. I'm not a medical person so I have no idea what effect it could have on a baby or child, but I am aware medical people can get things wrong just like everyone else. It's very scary but I don't think individual social workers are to blame. I think the medical profession needs to be more accountable. It makes me think of the 'cot death' SIDS scandle of a few years ago where some mothers were accused of killing their babies where the medical evidence was really unclear.

Cosy, that bit was just odd, he confessed early on that he could've hurt the baby accidentally, then said he'd only said that to try and help her? Then expected the authorities to accept he wanted to withdraw the confession like it was nothing, and they made out like that was an acceptable thing for him to do! You can't just say something like that and expect the authorities to ignore it!!

Okay, I didn't realise it was as dramatic as that! Trying to find it on catch up but it's not there yet. No, scaremongering doesn't help.

Heartbreaking so hard to watch. Will be thinking about those parents and grandparents tonight.

If the fracuures continue after the child is removed, then that brings the case to a close. As was precisely the case with the mother who had her children returned. I am appalled that the documentary did not ask the other mothers whether they were aware if their child had suffered any further fractures since the day they were taken from them. The fact they didn't offer up this information leads me to believe that the children did not suffer any further fractures. Which sadly does point to one conclusion. Abuse was involved

It was very sensational and one sided

This is a rare medical situation

And unfortunately, guilty parents also deny it and fight for their children with as much conviction as innocent parents

Trouble is the medical cases are the minority. Sadly most of the children taken in will be genuinely in need of care. I think highlighting the minority is a good thing, however glossing over the fact it is a minority and not majority could cause unnecessary angst in the general public. People more likely no to trust SS means rash decisions which could be detrimental to the child or the case in general.

I wonder whether we're seeing an increase in rickets as more people stay indoors and don't get enough sunlight. Scary.

Sally Clark the woman convicted of murder on medical evidence that SIDS was impossible to happen twice to the same mother.
Yet medical evidence was withheld, who has been held account for that report being withheld.

I thought the programme was poorly made and sensationalist.

It was the daily mail in tv format.

Also our need coat children in sun cream from March to November.

Cosy, that bit was just odd, he confessed early on that he could've hurt the baby accidentally, then said he'd only said that to try and help her? Then expected the authorities to accept he wanted to withdraw the confession like it was nothing, and they made out like that was an acceptable thing for him to do! You can't just say something like that and expect the authorities to ignore it!!

I have no idea how that posted twice!

This programme was really very sad and I feel the doctors and medical professionals should be answerig questions. I wonder if they looked into medical situations in other parts of the world where rickets are more common.

There was almost a feeling of rickets has gone, we had cured it so it could not affect anyone. I'm not a medical person so I have no idea what effect it could have on a baby or child, but I am aware medical people can get things wrong just like everyone else. It's very scary but I don't think individual social workers are to blame. I think the medical profession needs to be more accountable. It makes me think of the 'cot death' SIDS scandle of a few years ago where some mothers were accused of killing their babies where the medical evidence was really unclear.

These are such a specific cases that I feel really so sorry for the families.

The thing that angered me the very most about this whole program was the baby girl Alyssa who was adopted

That's likely to be her real name right?

And those are her photos

I feel awful for Alyssa's poor parents. I bet they had no clue this program was happening. What if they just watched on the off and found their precious girls name and photos plastered across national TV? They have no right of reply. They can't do anything. There's no proof the birth mother is innocent, she just claims she is. Guilty parents claim they are innocent as well as innocent ones.

I have steam coming out of my ears for their sakes. I feel a lot more for them than I do for 'Alyssa's' birth mother

I didn't believe the father. Sorry but I was sceptical. Why say that?!

That programme was terrible. I couldn't be a social worker.

Something about 'Alyssa's father didn't ring true for me either.

So he was innocent, his wife ran to Spain to hide from the authorities, and yet he didn't go and visit until the baby was almost a year old for fear of being found. Sorry, just doesn't ring true.

And yes, awful for the parents who have adopted that baby.

Sensationalism, and giving the parents a platform without hearing the SS point of view

sooperdooper I think he said he was pressurised into making a confession, which he felt would ensure the mum got to keep her baby.

Lifeisaboxofchocs the suggestion seemed to be that if lack of vitamin D was a problem then if vitamin D levels were more normal the problem would get better. That is why it was necessary for the child to be tested when first admitted to hospital. In the case of the woman who went to Spain I think the test had not been done so there was no evidence of lack of vitamin D. I missed the begining of the programm, only tuned in when I read elsewhere on mumsnet about it.

Sorry posted my other post twice accidently!

As someone said upthread - if it's a medical condition (and I'm not saying it wasn't) then surely SS and the parents would be watching vigilantly to see whether an injuries occur after the child is taken into care.

Good point Italian - the rickets could improve of course.

But rickets can be improved, so a better diet could improve the levels of vitamins, and therefore iradicate the problem