Meow

It wasn't much, but she would have been able to give the children decent meals.

Dumbo

Is this the same Sue Townsend who wrote some books and no doubt got quite rich? She also sadly passed away quite recently.

If its the same Sue Townsend I am surprised that you are taking up her case so strongly, about 20 years too late.

If its not then I agree with you.

No doubt you will tell me whether I am right or wrong.

Meow

If you'd read the article you'd see it is the writer Sue Townsend. It's not just about her case, it's the principle.

The fact she became a success is a positive and shows what people can achieve if they are given the right support at the right time.


You seem to have a chip on your shoulder, but you'd do yourself a favour by reading the facts. I am also mystified by the negative tone you appear to take about the fact she made some money from writing. This means she paid plenty of tax and more than covered what she took out of the system.

Dumbo

You misunderstood my post I am pleased that she overcame her problems and used it to focus on writing and make something for herself. Her idiot husband was probably the catalyst for her success.

As for the principle, my original comment stands maybe the husband doesn't support because he has no other choice or is not aware of the child? Don't you get heavy fines and ultimately go to jail for not making child payments nowadays? In which case your principle is a bit moot.

Yoohoo

The article seems to be criticising DSS for its inability to quickly (just on closing time remember) and empathetically deal with a person who had an unconventional emergency funding requirement (it must've been because it wasn't clear which DSS department she should've been dealing with).

Going so far as to criticise a civil servant for refusing to hand money over to a complete, albeit well-educated and well-spoken, stranger is probably taking it a little too far, but I do get her point.

Meow

Well in that case I presume he's noticed all three children before they split up?

The CSA is pretty good at chasing up errant husbands these days, but it was only set up in 1993, after time Sue Townsend had her financial problems. I am sure there are many reasons why some husbands don't support their children and some may be very valid. 'Blame' is rarely on one side only.

In some ways its's bit like the poor women here who get slung into jail for getting pregnant and no one even asks about the man who also had sex outside marriage.

scrubbedexpat141

My Dad was hammered by the CSA. Mum used to tell us he never paid enough. Dad used to tell us he paid less than they wanted until they got really angry. Dad used to argue with them that he'd pay what they wanted only if he was given details of where the money went. Mum said Dad should be buying us more clothes and things on top of the money he was giving.

Dad showed me the final statement he got from them. I'd cost him a lot but not as much as I thought, but I don't know the time period it was over.

The CSA were a shambles though, Dad was obliged to pay / more obliged to pay when he and Mum went to court to discuss access.

Sue Townsend might be in a different situation but I hope to hell none of her kids had to wait by the telephone in the hall at 7pm on a Wednesday for their Dad to call because it was the only time he was allowed to talk to them.

the_red_sheep

There seems to be a bit of drama for drama’s sake written into the article IMO. Her and her children didn’t have to walk 5 miles home, they ate that night, the children were washed in warm water, dressed in clean pyjama’s, they slept in beds indoors, they had breakfast the following morning, the next day she was able to get a soft loan from her family, within days she had 3 jobs, days later she also had her social security. It’s hardly a tale of living in the depths of despair and in desperate poverty by any standards is it?

Meow

It is awful that relationships where there are children deteriorate to such an extent that a court decision is required for funds to look after their children and that the children are used as weapons.

A friend of mine used to be a divorce lawyer and the tales she tells are very sorry indeed. No one wins and the children often lose most of all.

scrubbedexpat141

THIS.

Look, it wasn't meant to sound like some harrowing tale. It was shit but all in all I still had a very good life.

My sister 'suffers' more from it all, I was too young to remember the early stuff, pre court-order.

However, you're right. 10-8 on Saturdays. 10 Saturday - 4pm Sunday on the third weekend of every month.
School holidays alternate Xmas/New Year. split in summer and Mum got Feb half term, Dad Oct.
Phone call on Wednesdays at 1900.
Changed latterly to him driving 100mile round trip to get us on a Weds night and go to the local pub for tea.

They both did what they could to use us to get back at each other. Both vehemently deny it nowadays. Both admit they aren't perfect but the other was much worse. The closest they have come to speaking in about 15yrs is when I stand next to one and make them say Merry Christmas to the other. I've done it since I was as young as I can remember. I'm sure they still don't like it but I make them both do it

Beakersful

Stories about people on benefits making good are the minority result though. Stories about kids growing up in relative poverty not seen since just after WWII just don't make good reading. There's a growing problem that is being stage managed by higherups who are simultaneously crafting social media to produce an apathetic society summed up as, "I'm alright, Jack."

Fossildog

You are missing the point. A lot of people that same night drove home in comfortable cars, they ate better, they slept in more expensive Pyjamas and their jam on their toast the following morning was probably Bonne Mamon. Therefore, Sue was in relative poverty and we should all wring our hands and empathise and disdainfully gaze down from our high horses at those who don't care as much as us

Dumbo

*chortle*

Millhouse

Nothing pisses me off more than eating two Christmas dinners.

I asked my mum to visit me one Christmas when I was in London. I got ... "Millhouse, I can't split myself on Christmas like that" ... I think my reply was something like 'well I have for the last 15 fuc king years' On principle, I never visit either on them at Christmas now.

weasel decentral

How about eating three Christmas dinners?