Child Protection???????

Now I don't often write about work but I'm going to make an exception today because quite frankly I'm a bit cross.
Probably "a bit cross" is an understatement.

"He who never does as he is told" has been threatening to hose me off the ceiling with the jets on his green goddess......don't think he'll dare because I'm so cross the water will instantly turn into steam and there's already enough of that coming out of my ears to service several saunas !

Now we have been parenting a young lad for the past 6 years, and a smashing lad he is too. He isn't ours by birth or adoption but a firm and valued member of our family he has become.

Yeah, ok, I'm not his mum and he isn't my child... but he's in my family!

Now I have a lot of kids, not all of them my own, but a goodly proportion are.

The said young lad has two statutuary reviews of his life a year. For the past 3 years one of these per year has been held in our family home....It's where he feels safe and confident enough to say what HE wants and thinks and thats a hard thing to do when faced with a barrage of adults, all keen to stamp there mark and prove that they are truly the ones who have his "best" interests at heart.

The other is held at a family centre so that his true parents can gain knowledge of what he's up to, how school is going and whether he is healthy....all the sort of things parents need and want to know. They also have an opportunity to contribute, say what they would like, voice their opinions and encouragement.

There's a fantastic opportunity for keeping in touch and sharing.

I think there's not enough sharing in this world and every little bit of sharing is so valuable...don't waste the opportunity!

Now, dad has not been a model of good human nature in the past. In fact he's the sort of man most people would not want living next door, especially if they were a woman or a child. Add to this a sprinkling of wanton violence...get the picture?

Yeah, well there's such a thing as unconditional love and young lad has seen it all and loves his mam and dad, just as most love there kids and his mam and dad love him.
They are SPECIAL and so is he!

Ok, Well what am i cross about?

I'm cross because the reviewing officers have for, well , I know for certain for the last review, and suspect for several previous reviews, if not all, have been inviting DAD to my family home.

Now, dad at the moment hasn't transport, and luckily we live over a hundred miles away and he has never attended meetings at my house.

Nothing bad has happened but the potential for evil against little ones, who have done nothing but share their mummy and daddy and home and toys and school and friends and holidays and life and most of all, kinship and friendship, is very real.

The department remain oblivious, content in knowing they are ticking the boxes of parental inclusion.
They are oblivious to the potential harm, and disregard the safety of all the members of our family.......
NOT FOR LONG!!!!!