Thoughts from an active pensioner who is now somewhat past his Biblical "Use-by date"

"Why just be difficult, when with a little more effort you can be bloody impossible?"



Monday 13 June 2011

Missing Children

I've just returned from a two week cruise around the Baltic and have been busy catching up with the news and blogs.
One of the first that I read was Christopher Booker's article on missing children; not those who disappear like Madeleine McCann, but those taken into care by councils and who effectively disappear with no-one knowing where they are and with parents, relatives and lawyers all being unable to gain access.
However, I was beaten to the post by Witterings from Witney, who obviously feels the same as I do on the subject.
I always thought that the Laws relating to Habeas Corpus prevented this sort of thing, but it seems that our Social Services are using the Children's Act to avoid such minor technicalities! In the case cited by Christopher Booker, the child has effectively been abducted by the social workers of Haringey, who, as we all know, are notorious for having failed to prevent the deaths of Baby P and Victoria ClimbiƩ.
Christopher Booker points out that under the Act
“The responsible authority has a duty to endeavour to promote contact” with the parents and “any relative, friend or other person connected to the child”. In particular, parents must be allowed to see medical or school reports relating to their child. The law also insists that, if children are old enough, they should be allowed to appear in court to express their wishes. None of these things has happened. 

Where have all the Human Rights Lawyers suddenly disappeared to?
Surely the Human Rights of the the parents, the grandparents and the child are all being infringed. What about the "Right to Family Life" currently being exploited by every failed asylum seeker?
Let's hope some honourable legal person comes forward and finds a way to get this case to court for a full hearing.

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