Learning Disabled Parents Losing Children To Adoption
Against a background of prejudice and out-of-date assessments, six out of 10 parents with learning disabilities are having their children removed for adoption, research by Bristol University suggests.
In Birmingham, where children’s services were described as “not fit for purpose” in a government report, social workers have told the BBC the system is loaded against the learning disabled who are more likely to lose their children than keep them.
A whistleblower in Birmingham City Council’s social services department said: “We frequently remove children from young mothers who continue to have children.
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“We frequently go back and remove one child after the other, but we’ll find there’s been very little or no work done with that mother from having a first child removed to giving birth to the second child.”
Anna Marriott, a researcher at the Nora Fry institute based at Bristol University, said the system discriminated against the learning disabled.
She told the BBC: “Rather than looking for any actual evidence of problems with parents coping, (social workers) just assume the parent won’t be able to cope.
“And rather than looking to put a support plan in place, they’ll look to initiate child protection proceedings.”
The Birmingham whistleblower agrees, claiming once one child has been removed, removal of the family’s next child is virtually automatic.
She added, once one assessment has been made by social workers and psychologists, the same assessments are likely to be re-dated and re-used for when another child comes along.
The whistleblower said: “Lots of people will copy over old info, not checking the primary source of material.”
‘Helping children’
Isabelle Plumstead, a leading family court judge said she had concerns about multiple child removals and wanted to see much more support put in place.
“If you help the parents, of course you are helping the children.
“And when you, as I have, come across the eighth, ninth, 10th, or even in one case the 14th child of a parent being in care proceedings, how much better if the thing could have been cracked at number one.”
Christine Spooner had two children removed from her care and placed for adoption by Birmingham Children’s Services.
At the time her condition, Aspergers syndrome, had not been diagnosed.
Family judge Isabelle Plumstead said she had concerns about the removals
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She said: “They didn’t understand the person I was. They just seemed to look at the weakest parts, what I couldn’t do. They didn’t even try and think about what I could do”.
Support for learning disabled parents is available through organisations such as Citizen Advocacy South Birmingham (CASBA).
Specialist workers help to guide learning disabled parents through a complex legal process which can be emotionally draining.
CASBA serves the whole of South Birmingham but is staffed for only 58 hours per week.
Vice chair Sior Coleman said: “The harsh reality is that we don’t have enough money.
“There is an understanding from the authorities that it’s an important service, but it’s seen as a luxury – as an add-on.”
The whistleblower said she had been in meetings along with 17 professionals and one parent with no representation or support.
I’ve got to change that because I would agree with you that isn’t fair, that isn’t proper and that isn’t right
Colin Tucker
director of Birmingham Children’s Services |
She said in some cases the parent had been identified as having issues with anger management, poor communication skills, or poor concentration.
She added: “So they have to sit and listen to the most intimate details of their lives and their children’s lives [being] discussed in a professional forum and they are expected to behave as professionals.
“And if they are not behaving in that way, they will be judged on that.”
The BBC put the social worker’s claims to the new director of Birmingham Children’s Services, Colin Tucker, who said: “I’ve got to change that because I would agree with you that isn’t fair, that isn’t proper and that isn’t right.
“I want to talk to parents with learning disabilities, not to patronise them or make excuses, but to genuinely listen to their stories and see how I can respond to that.”
It is too late for Christine Spooner, though, whose children have now been adopted and are with new families.
She has devoted herself to volunteer work, helping to support parents going through a similar experience, and is campaigning for change.
She said: “I’m sick and tired of the negative attitude and I want people to think more positively about learning disabled people.
“Realistically I would love to be a parent again, but what if it happens again? What if it goes on again?
“I don’t want to have my heart torn out the third time in a row. I’ve had enough pain in my life. I don’t want any more”.
This is part of the debate on DisAbility And Parenting.
It’s eugenics combined with the greed and profit-driven world of adoption. More excuses to get more babies for lucrative baby brokers! And it is DISGUSTINGLY SHAMEFUL!
I blogged about the case of Kerry Robertson and Mark MscDougal who fled their home Scotland because of fear of their baby being taken for this very reason. http://familypreservation.blogspot.com/2009/11/is-britain-practicing-eugenics.html
And I cross-posted this. http://familypreservation.blogspot.com/2009/11/learning-disabled-parents-losing.html
The exploitation of mothers and the commodification of their babies to fill a demand for adoption is an global issue.
Mirah Riben, author
The Stork Market; America’s Multi-Billion Dollar Unregulated Adoption Industry
http://AdvocatePublications.com
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Hello Mirah,
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and to cross post thispost at your blog. I really appreciate it.
Best wishes
Samedifference1
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I am Joanne. I am 40 years old, who has got a disability. I have been with my francee for two years. We are hoping to live together soon. My mum & my three sisters don’t think I could bring up a baby. They will think the child will be take over me. ( I can’t explain it very well). They think my francee Won’t look after the baby properely because his disability. That is my comment. From Joanne
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I am Joanne. I am 40 years old, who has got a disability. I have been with my francee for two years. We are hoping to live together soon. My mum & my three sisters don’t think I could bring up a baby. They will think the child will be take over me. ( I can’t explain it very well). They think my francee Won’t look after the baby properely because his disability
To. My mum thinks I will lose the baby for adoption. I really want to have a baby in my & my francee life in the future. That is my comment. From Joanne
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I am Joanne. I am 40 years old, who has got a disability. I have been with my francee for two years. We are hoping to live together soon. My mum & my three sisters don’t think I could bring up a baby. They will think the child will be take over me. ( I can’t explain it very well). They think my francee Won’t look after the baby properely because his disability
To. My mum thinks I will lose the baby for adoption. I really want to have a baby in my & my francee life in the future. Will I have feedback on this? Advice from you? That is my comment. From Joanne
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Its Joanne I am sorry I put three messages on this page. I kept adding at the end of my message, what I wanted to say. Sorry. The third message is okay. From Joanne
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No problem Joanne, I read the messages and saw that they were all different. Best wishes, samedifference1.
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It is Joanne When will I have Advice from you about what I type on the page? about the third message? from Joanne
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My name is Theresa Maleady and I am 53 yrs old I want to adopt a child but I am told by my sister I will never adopt a child because of my learning disabilty I s this true? As I would love that in my life I do hope my sister is wrong saying that. She said I can’t have a child of my own. So what do I do with my life? If I can ot adopt a child?
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