VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Child protection - legal, ethical and practice issues. A case study
Episode – The foster carer
Foster carer talking straight to camera:
Well I just can’t get away with that social worker, what they are saying now.
I mean, first of all we got the impression, obviously we have been looking after Amber and we got the impression that, that was going to go on. I mean basically, what we where told, I certainly had the impression - I think it was at the preparation meeting -that we would actually have some rights…but now what the social worker is saying to us is that it’s the birth parents that still have got the rights.
In other words her mother would have the rights and responsibilities, but they would have to show that they where responsible. What is worrying us is that in actual fact that - from what I know about that woman - she wasn’t responsible. I mean the previous carers, the previous foster carers of Amber, I mean when they took the child on, she was really, really skinny. She is a two year old child, it was just terrible…so when they took…
…we have been told by now that we are very capable foster parents, but it really looks as if we are not going to be able to adopt Amber.
I mean okay we’re getting on a bit. I’m fifty two now and I mean, I understand that age can come into it…but it just doesn’t seem right to me that the child would be sent back again to a mother who obviously didn’t have responsibility to look after her.
I mean we had the three boys and that was great, but having a wee girl…it’s just meant so much to us…and I just feel so…I just really feel sad.
I mean we were kind of led down the garden path here a bit you know. We wanted the wee girl, we really did and she has been fantastic for us. She’s changed our lives…and anyway…I mean obviously, at end of the day it is not going to be our decision now, but we would offer her such a good home…and we would offer her such great opportunities for life…
…and I mean (to be honest with you) the other two kids…I mean (I’ll be quite honest here) I don’t really want to have anything to do with the other two kids. Because I just think it‘s too late…especially for Jasmine. She’s what now? She’s fifteen or something…I just think…it’s hopeless for her.
But there is so much opportunity for Amber…and surely, surely that’s what counts?