Why do they want to put our baby on the protection register?
A BEDMINSTER couple say they have been told their first baby will be on the Child Protection Register – before she has even been born.
Daniel Hale, 25, says he and fiancée Francesca Douglas, 20, are having their names unfairly "dragged through the mud" by Social Services.
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Daniel Hale and fiancee Francesca Douglas
Miss Douglas is not due to have the baby girl whom they have already named – Taylor – until June 17.
The couple say they were visited by a social worker out of the blue and now have what should have been the happiest and most exciting time of their life thrown into turmoil.
Mr Hale says he and his girlfriend, who live at Glyn Vale, are being penalised for their childhoods.
He said he spent much of his childhood with a foster family while Miss Douglas comes from a broken home, living separately with her mother and then father.
Mr Hale said: "She seemed very interested in our backgrounds.
"She basically said everybody who had been in care was more likely to abuse their child. They seem to be penalising us for our childhoods which has to be wrong.
"We are nice people who want to bring up our daughter like normal parents. We have everything in place ready for her.
"We are looking forward to the birth but worrying how many other people will be in the room with us to make sure what we are doing is correct.
"If I had ever been cruel or violent towards a child I would understand but it just seems that mine and my partner's name are being dragged through the mud for no reason.
"I do think it is sensible to have systems in place to protect children at risk but only if they need protecting. It feels like I am being accused of child cruelty before the child has even been born.
"From my experience, Social Services are part of the problem, not the solution."
Francesca said: "I had a problems as a child and she said my emotions could cause me to see myself in my child and then I would start abusing her.
"The way I was brought up makes me desperate to be a good mum but I feel like I have been branded a bad mum before I am even a mum.
"They are ruining what should be one of the most exciting times of our lives. I have been very upset.
"Until you have done something to be a bad parent, you don't warrant being treated like this."
The Child Protection Register, commonly refereed to as the 'At Risk' register, is a confidential list of children and young people in an area believed to be in need of protection.
A spokeswoman for Bristol City Council said: "We can confirm we have had contact with this family, but can't discuss details of an individual case.
"If there are concerns about risk to an unborn child, we always try to work co-operatively with the parents. However, the safety of the child is our primary concern."
BRISTOL City Council's Children and Young People's Services has a duty to ensure every child is safe from harm and neglect and, where possible, brought up by their own family.
However, safeguarding children is co-ordinated by the Bristol Safeguarding Children Board (BSCB), a local multi-agency partnership made up of education, health, police, social care and associated services.
Anyone can make a referral about a child.
It could be a police officer, teacher, midwife or member if the public and each contact will be followed up by Social Services.
A case conference will be held with anyone who could provide information. Parents or prospective parents have the right to attend but also have the right not to attend.
After the information is assessed, the decision whether to put the child/unborn child on the Child Protection Register will be made.
Having a case conference does not mean your child will definitely be placed on the register.
The register is designed to help parents.
An assessment will be made after three months and then each six months. A child can be taken off the register at any time and is automatically removed when it reaches the age of 18.
34 Comments
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by Tom, Horfield
Wednesday, August 18 2010, 9:52PM
“Daniel Hale certainly will not be a good parent. As others have mentioned, he is known for his constant violence in shops, pubs, e.t.c. Along with making verbally violent threats.
I am disgusted that this article is somewhat sympathising with him. If you met him just once, you would know that he is no fit parent, and that a child could not POSSIBLY be brought up in his hands.”
by Realist, South Central
Thursday, July 08 2010, 9:28AM
“when he says "We have everything in place ready for her" he means the 40" plasma is on order with Currys in advance of the sweet benefits they'll be living on, right?”
by Davidoff, central
Thursday, July 08 2010, 9:25AM
“When he says "We have everything in place ready for her" he means he's got his 40" plasma on order with Currys in advance of the sweet benefits they'll all be living on, right?”
by David Jenkins, South Wales
Wednesday, July 07 2010, 9:45PM
“Having read the article and also everyones comments, I will now have my say has a father who had his son taken at birth. Firstly Brenda i would like to say that everything you have wrote puts yourself across has a Social Worker and if this is the case then please don't hide behind your computer and preach identify yourself has a social worker and stand up for the department if you believe in what you do then you will. Myself i think you are a social worker who feels guilty for what you know your job entails and you believe by preaching on here in your own time will stop you feeling so guily for the job you do. Now i would like to make a comment to the couple in the article. I have been through what your going through and believe me your child is at risk from an abusive goverment department in the UK. Take Ian Josephs advice and leave the country. I sit here and hope now that you still have your child in your care and still have the chance to leave, i regret now not doing it myself when Ian advised me. All the best both and hope everything works out to your advantage.
Brenda if you are a Social Worker then do the decent thing and become a WHISTLEBLOWER on a system that is the ABUSER.”
by David Jenkins, South Wales
Wednesday, July 07 2010, 9:44PM
“Having read the article and also everyones comments, I will now have my say has a father who had his son taken at birth. Firstly Brenda i would like to say that everything you have wrote puts yourself across has a Social Worker and if this is the case then please don't hide behind your computer and preach identify yourself has a social worker and stand up for the department if you believe in what you do then you will. Myself i think you are a social worker who feels guilty for what you know your job entails and you believe by preaching on here in your own time will stop you feeling so guily for the job you do. Now i would like to make a comment to the couple in the article. I have been through what your going through and believe me your child is at risk from an abusive goverment department in the UK. Take Ian Josephs advice and leave the country. I sit here and hope now that you still have your child in your care and still have the chance to leave, i regret now not doing it myself when Ian advised me. All the best both and hope everything works out to your advantage.
Brenda if you are a Social Worker then do the decent thing and become a WHISTLEBLOWER on a system that is the ABUSER.”
by arrow, oxford
Friday, June 04 2010, 12:15PM
“I think the point to bear in mind is that practices vary wildly. Whereas in some cases parents who are seemingly unsuitable get given chance after chance, in others it seems that the S.S. practice what I call the 'Colin Stagg syndrome' - decide on a hunch that someone is 'guilty' (of being a bad parent) and then try to make the evidence fit their preconceived view.
The steady flow of people who get branded totally unsuitable to bring up children here, go abroad and get told there that they are actually perfect parents does suggest that the second category is very numerous.
The moral is simple - make the whole process, esp. the family courts, transparent and open to public scrutiny. Only then will you be have a chance to iron out the irregularities and stamp out on any malpractice.”
by Anon, Bristol
Wednesday, June 02 2010, 4:08PM
“All these tales of occasions where SS have taken children away with no pretext...I'm sorry but whilst there will be a few genuine stories I doubt the majority of them!
I know a family where the 2 eldest were taken into care 4 years ago, because they both abused them. Yet when she was pregnant again they put the child on the at risk register and waited, to see if this time she would be a proper mum. As admirable as it is to try and give people another chance, they were obviously mistaken as the new baby was taken into care 4 months ago, aged 1. They still work with the parents to try and get them on the right path so the children can go back to the parents, and they work with the children to ensure that they are happy with the visits and everything.
The job that social workers do is so difficult, I doubt very few of the people on here would manage it. So give them a break, there is always more to the stories on here, since when have the BEP ever produced an unbiased article?”
by arrow, oxford
Tuesday, June 01 2010, 12:07AM
“Clearly, if the parents have convictions for violence then they should be at least watched. Although that information should be in the public domain, so I am surprised that the people who wrote the article didn't mention this.
What people are objecting to is this idea that people from tough backgrounds, with perhaps a history of problems, are treated differently by the s.s. from others. I would even go as far as to say that a parent's past history, both personal and medical (but excepting convictions), should not be accessible to child protection, for confidentiality reasons if not any others.
The second point is: ok we remove a child from a father who was violent to other adults and mother who likes clubbing, and then what? We place him/her in a foster home, and who says that they will find life better there than with their parents? You hear some horrible stories of abuse in foster homes (and in care in general)...”
by Joe blogs, Uknown
Monday, May 31 2010, 10:00AM
“s.s work with familys for years, not once have they removed a child for unnecessary reasons and yet they havve cleaarly got interest in this family now instead of later...think seriously, there are two sides to every story and do you honestly think two youngsters would put the truth about themeselves their situation and the real reasons behind ss involvment in the papers. to be fair its quit pathetic how these 'kids' are complaining about being victims when Dan himself is a bully and happily uses violence and creates more victims than he knows. hitting women and men, doesnt then mean he will have any quams in hitting a chid, after knowing the couple and alot that clearly isnt stated here i would happily see the child in a loving a supportive home where not only will she be given a decent chance in life but will be removed from something as vile as these people, every one has bad history but this child deserves a better future!”
by emma, bristol
Monday, May 31 2010, 9:54AM
“i know these pair and fully back social services with there dissision to put the child on the at risk register, he is known for violence as when i was 36 weeks pregnant with my twins he went to hit me, and has a long wrap sheet for violence,she had no regards for the child when she found out she was pregnant and went clubbing and drinking whist in the early stages of pregnancy they are both unfit to have children and if social services feel the need to take the child off them then it is for a good reason about time social services done something to help this unborn child”