Simon Haworth, a lecturer in social work at Birmingham University and a core member of the Best Interests of the Child Review (BIC) has warned the government not to crack down on families in the wake of the deaths of Arthur and Star.
The piece, published in Community Care yesterday, follows Secretary of State for Education Nadhim Zahawi’s calls to remove children from parents if there is “even an inkling of harm.”
As well as explaining why child removal on “inkling of harm” grounds is illegal, Simon also sets out several powerful arguments pushing for more humane social care and less investigations into families in Britain.
The piece is very much worth a read, and both Michele Simmons who is a core member of BIC, and Researching Reform were very generously invited by Simon to offer our feedback on the piece prior to publication.
You can read Simon’s article here.
Researching Reform 
Reblogged this on tummum's Blog.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Reblogged this on Families Need Fathers Hasting, FB
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged on FB Families Need Fathers Hastings https://www.facebook.com/groups/345642318806046
On Fri, Dec 17, 2021 at 2:32 AM Researching Reform wrote:
> Natasha posted: ” Simon Haworth, a lecturer in social work at Birmingham > University and a core member of the Best Interests of the Child Review > (BIC) has warned the government not to crack down on families in the wake > of the deaths of Arthur and Star. The piece, publis” >
LikeLiked by 1 person
Knee jerk reactions would be crazy really by Gov’t but you can expect special circulars to go around Social Care Departments from Gov’t which will pressure Social Workers into less than circumspect judgments again … This time instead of under-reacting to abuses it may well be over-reacting to “abuses” by parents …
Social Services is a service inside crisis… Inside turnovers of staff and lack of skill retention. Inside a crisis of inexperienced staff .. Crisis …
Also we have seen the Adoption Support Fund grow year by year under Vicky Ford et al – and the Early Intervention Fundings for birth family stabilisation take a hit from “austerity” times onwards .. For years that is the case ..
I have to say we will be seeing more flaws and more mistakes and tragedies into the chaos-cocktail that has bubbling for years in Social Services delivery under different administrations ..
Even the NHS was crap for therapies for birth parents years ago and still is to my mind in terms of helping them and aiding their luggage of various traumas they have come through – often caused and inside the care systems themselves…
What a chaos circle we all support really with a lack of remedies often ..
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think Paul the NHS does a fabulous job . This needs saying many parents have stood or laid in a room to have their baby handed to them this is a right of passage. and why relationships are important as one partner you may be compromised .
I think you maybe at odds if you believe most of the time social workers do not know exactly what they are doing.
They do not seem to uphold the same values as the public they feed on or uphold legislation. If this is odd to you, consider the ex-social workers who all have LAC elevated government payment to look after children there social worker friends have taken , only to subject them to sexual abuse .
Its quite bewildering. crack down on families hmm haven’t they broken most in my area to such affect the only option is to leave only to be given a completely perfect family appraisal by another authority . I was informed in my group by an individual that a father was given a 2 hour court hearing in his family matter. How can any evidence be given to the judge this seems to me me court practice procedures are not being followed. the first meeting in court is supposed to outline the complaint or complaints!
LikeLike
Simon seems like a nice man but does he have any authority with the “SS” ?
The tragic deaths of Star and Arthur emphasise the obvious fact thatnearly always physical damage to children is much more serious than emotional harm or “risk of unspecified harm in the future ”
If social workers concentrated on severe bruising ,broken bones,black eyes, and other physical damage and left the rest alone tragedies such as those that befell baby P, Star, and Arthur could for the most part be avoided
LikeLiked by 2 people
Do a search for “Children’s services overwhelmed” & you will see countless articles dating back years with the same refrain. As Ian Joseph’s pointed out social services are focussed on the wrong children. If social services weren’t so stretched they might see what is right in front of them when confronted with serious abuse.
LikeLiked by 1 person