moneypenny20

I wonder how many are saved that we never ever hear about though. Perspective.

jad n rich

When Dean Shillingsworth died (boy found dumped in the suitcase) the media reported 100 children died in NSW from child abuse last year. Found that rather hard to believe as its 100 kids from a population of approx 5 million people. Anyway the figures were backed up on the front page of the australian newspaper, the link is still there but I am not turning this thread into a cut and paste item. There is obviously something seriously wrong to be that high. 2 obvious things spring to mind, funding, are there enough social workers and IMO and the opinion of many professionals, the rather odd system of giving anyone a large lump sum of cash to have a child, a child they possibly wanted less than the money, and that sort of money would be a sizable sum to people in disadvantaged circumstances.

TheCrone

My first job after leaving school - way back in 1950 - was in Bradford's Workhouse, looking after children who'd been removed for their parents as being "in need of care and protection".
We had two full wards of kids, ranging in age from birth (a child born to a mother who was a syphilitic prostitute; the child was born covered with eczema) to 4 & 5-year-olds.
I was seventeen, but the sights I saw there have always been with me. Sadly, this isn't a new problem, just one that gets more media coverage.

Dried Graze

There are too many innocent children who fly under the 'radar' until reported to the authorities and until then social workers can't be blamed for actions of others. Even then, child protection officers are often stuck between a rock and a hard place trying to way up the potential for harm and the feelings of the parents with what current legislation dictates.

It's very easy to say that the children should be removed from any given household and thus avoid any potential problem but here in Australia responsibility lies at the door of the corporate and not the individual. The health authority might frown upon blanket child removal for fear of lawsuits. The UK differs in that social workers are responsible for their actions on a personal level.

It doesn't help matters when children are removed only to be returned by the courts the very next day. Another factor to be considered which must have an enormous impact on the level of care is the staff turnover. It's a highly stressful job but it's not rewarded enough to retain competent and dedicated staff. I know someone who currently holds over a dozen very complicated cases when guidelines say this should be about 5 or 6.

Social workers, especially child protection officers who are on the front line, do not get enough credit in my opinion. They often face violence and a level of intimidation that worries me and I can look after myself. However when these morons threaten to slice your children up for doing your job of protecting children, you have to take notice.

bridie

so on a percentage basis that would mean there are more here, given the population is that much smaller.

any child death in these circumstances is one too many

pam0512

I totally agree.....

In the UK it isn't just the child protection social workers who support the children but also Health, Specialist Health workers, Lots of family support charities and the courts.....so the children are monitored as far as is possible without someone being there 24/7. Here it seems to fall on the child protection social workers and charitable organisations (please forgive me if I'm wrong but that's how it appears). I worked in Health in the UK and am surprised that there is no involvement from them over here with child protection etc.....There are also jobs being advertised within the child protection department on pretty much a weekly basis, it seems they cannot get the staff they need, nor keep them!! Not that I'm surprised with the intimidation they receive, caseloads they must manage and staffing issues..
pam x x