During a hearing at Ayr Sheriff Court to the Children`s Panel, Sheriff Scott Pattison said that a mother`s cigarette habit showed a lack of parental care. The mother could now risk losing her children. According to the Sun, worried politicians claim the case proves that the state is getting too involved in family life.
If the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill goes ahead the state will be getting more involved in every aspect of family life.
Yet the state has a poor record of protecting vulnerable children from the harmful effects of drugs. The Teresa Cooper case investigated by the BBC shows that girls at Kendal House, run by the Church of England, were given massive doses of drugs against their will and nine women have subsequently given birth to children with birth defects. In the USA, foster children who do not have parents to speak out for them have been used as guinea pigs to test drugs for the big pharmaceutical companies. Given these dreadful abuses, the parent who smokes seems the lesser evil.
Currently in Ayrshire foster carers who smoke are still able to foster children over three years old. In addition we are informed that a record of offences will need to be carefully looked into, but apart from some offences against children, prospective foster carers will not necessarily be ruled out from fostering. We are assured that `People from all walks of life can foster.` For instance, there is no requirement that a foster carer be married or employed or have children of their own although experience of children would be an advantage.
How can removing children from a smoking parent be justified when the requirements of the foster carer are so limited?
| http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_8062000/8062486.stm Unwilling Guinea Pigs: Using Foster Care Children For Forced Drug Experiments | |||
Stunned by ruling ... Professor Black, left, and Brian Donohoe
http://www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/family-placement-and-adoption/fostering.aspx
See http://action.sumofus.org/a/tpp-lawsuits/2/5/?sub=fb
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