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*************************aged 12 and looking after the family*******************CH4 NOW

238 replies

Nemo2007 · 05/02/2007 21:02

looks interesting.

OP posts:
miggy · 05/02/2007 22:12

I got the impression from what was said at the beginning, that C4 hadnt intended to make "that particular" documentary, ie they were planning on it being about child carers rather than feckless lazy parents, but thats what panned out.
Was watching it with my ds (13), when the younger girl said " I wish my parents werent blind" he perceptively remarked "actually I dont think it would make any difference". The blindeness is not the problem.

EllieKwithabigbump · 05/02/2007 22:12

sadly that's always the way, the children that really need help get overlooked and children who's parents really love them and have done nothing wrong get taken away

bandstand · 05/02/2007 22:12

yes, perhaps we are meant to be fullof admiration for them.. i thought that was what it was going to be about.. parents didnt seem to be bad people. It was just so sad. put the 12 year old off kids for life..

AitchTwoOh · 05/02/2007 22:13

yes, their life skills were sadly lacking... or maybe they were just lazy buggers? it was a very, very weird family set up, that. hope someone steps in soon.

Surfermum · 05/02/2007 22:13

That's what struck me sandyballs - the whole household was soooooo subdued. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Those poor, poor children .

EllieKwithabigbump · 05/02/2007 22:13

very true miggy

ScummyMummy · 05/02/2007 22:14

Agree Mercy- they definitely had learning difficulties and the mother's were quite noticeable.

ScummyMummy · 05/02/2007 22:14

Your son is a clever kid, miggy.

Mercy · 05/02/2007 22:23

Another scene I found disturbing was the 12 yr old talking about her sister's suicide attempt and the girl next door who hanged herself. As is it were an everyday occurence. I wasn't sure if it was even true about the neighbour tbh; she was so emotionally void it just didn't seem real.

Poor, poor girl - well, all of them really.

god almighty, and JT said there are 170,000 child carers in the UK (?) FFS

bandstand · 05/02/2007 22:25

who would want to be a social worker, must be like banging your head agains a brick wall

AitchTwoOh · 05/02/2007 22:32

i wasn't sure whether she was lying about the neighbour either, mercy. part of me wonders if she was 'laying it on thick' (not that she needed to, imo) to make sure someone did something this time.

i always remember my friend telling me that she confided in a teacher about her abusive father. a HUGE step for her. anyway, social services did a check and were never heard from again. the teacher never looked my friend in the eye again. my friend, as one might expect, is especially cynical about social services.

monkeymonkeymoomoo · 05/02/2007 22:34

I was bought up by two profoundly deaf parents and I never felt put upon or was treated in this fashion. Eating chips of the highchair???? Crawling under a bin???? Nappies not changed all day??? I haven't watched anything for a long time that has made me feel this upset, even my DH was crying watching it.

Been thinking about fostering/adoption ... will definitely look into it more seriously now.

AlwaysTheMummy · 05/02/2007 22:36

the bit that upset me, i could see it happening before it did was when the girl was twirling her brother and his feet smacked the other boy off his feet and he never got comforted properly

monkeymonkeymoomoo · 05/02/2007 22:39

Aitch - I wondered whether the 'neighbour' wqas infact the sister IYKWIM

ScummyMummy · 05/02/2007 22:41

There was no comforting for anything ever in that house that I saw during that programme. It's a long time since i've seen telly that shocking. I SO hope that things will change for the family now that the programme has been shown.

calebsmummy · 05/02/2007 22:46

Very, very sad

And Miggy, I absolutely agree with your son. Just glad my 13 yr old DS decided to go up and read!

Mercy · 05/02/2007 22:49

Next week's programme (also by Jane Treays) is about children whose parent/s committed suicide

Aloha · 05/02/2007 22:51

I didn't watch this - could tell it would be horrific - but wtf are social services doing? Either this couple accept help or lose their kids. No question.

Aloha · 05/02/2007 22:51

Where do they live?

turquoise · 05/02/2007 22:58

I think it was Devon. West country anyway.
I thought the interviewer handled it very well, I was willing her to ask the question about Louise wanting children of her own. Incredibly sad.

Aloha · 05/02/2007 23:00

Just thought it might be worth reporting them to the local social services - put some pressure on. Or to the local MP. Those kids need people to speak for them, it seems.

Mercy · 05/02/2007 23:00

I'm not sure, but going by their accents I would say SW England.

turquoise · 05/02/2007 23:04

I doubt very much if SS would take the children away, and without that threat it must be incredibly hard to force the parents to accept intervention.
I'm sure there will be repercussions from this programme though, it was truly disturbing.

batters · 05/02/2007 23:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Aloha · 05/02/2007 23:09

I simply do not believe you could not force the parents to cooperate!

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