Skip to main content

Perceived Neglect?

The linked story from Yesterday's Guardian is an interesting one. It raises the question as to what parameters should permit the state to intervene. In this case a child was allowed to walk to school alone. (under a mile).

It raises another question about the subjectivity of our systems of child protection.
What is acceptable to one person, is risky to another. However, at what point should the state intervene. I believe that is a decision for parliament.

Comments

Linda Jack said…
As the eldest of 5 children I used to walk alone to catch a bus and then walk to school from the age of 5. I still have memories of grasping the penny bus fare in my hand! OK, maybe it is not so safe now, but there were cars on the roads if not in so many numbers they were still as dangerous.

In contrast, my daughter aged 12, was sent home from school in the middle of the morning to change her skirt because it was black and it should have been blue. I was not too happy as there was no phonecall from the school to make sure someone was at home, which there wasn't. She ended up having to walk to my workplace, a total of 2.5 miles.

So, it seems to me, perceptions of neglect need to be balanced with the real responsibility parents have to enable their children to live independent lives.
12:41 pm
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NHS reorganisation No 3,493,233

Followers of my blog will have seen the NHS question about how many reorganisations have we had. We've yet another. The number of PCTs (Primary Care Trusts) nationally is to halve. This means merging East and North. (and then probably HoB and south). It would be nice if people would stick with one structure. There is a quotation ( Which sadly does not appear to be a true quotation ) We trained hard . . . but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization. But has to have been originated by someone. The web link shown goes through the derivation which appears to be more linked to an anonymous British Soldier WW2 than any Roman or Greek General called by a name perming 2 out of (Gaius, Galus, Petronius and Arbiter). From the...
2 comments
Read more