More thought-provoking family-related content is making its rounds around the internet this week, so we add some links to what we felt were interesting:

• An Apology for Forced Adoption: The NSW Parliament in Australia issues a formal apology to families whose children were forcibly removed from their care during a period of time when forced adoption laws were used to remove children from, for example, single pregnant women. It raises interesting philosophical questions for the general practice of forced adoption, today. Well worth a watch. (Thank you to Phil for sharing this video with us).

• Neon Roberts to Receive Radiotherapy Against Mother’s Wishes: This seven-year old boy is now in the full spotlight of the media glare, as his case made its way up to the High Court. The reason? Neon Roberts is suffering from a brain tumour, but his mother was concerned that radiotherapy would do him more harm than good and wanted to look to alternative therapies to help cure him. Neon’s father disagreed and so, the discussion found its way inside the court system. Now, the High Court have ruled that Neon should go ahead and have radiotherapy, in the hope that it will save his life. A fascinating case, not just for the way in which the mother’s reasoning is viewed by the presiding judge as irrational and negatively affected by emotion, but also because there seems to be a complete absence of coverage on how the little guy felt about all of this. Did Neon agree with his mother? Did he disagree? The voice of the child may not always be the only voice, but surely, it must play its part.

And finally…. The cultural phenomenon that became an international debate: School shootings and gun regulation in America.

• After the last school shooting in America, the Vice President of the National Rifle Association gives a speech on why every school should have armed police officers guarding (for our take on the speech, have a look here).