Woman to have her baby taken from her at birth

[pokerfan]

because she is deemed capable of "emotional abuse", even though psychiatrists treating her say there is no evidence to suggest that she will harm her child in any way.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/08/26/nbaby126.xml

"The paediatrician has never met me," she said. "He is not a psychiatrist and cannot possibly make assertions about my current or future mental health. Yet his letter was the only one considered in the case conference on August 16 which lasted just 10 minutes."

<snip>

Miss Lyon came under scrutiny because she had a mental health problem when she was 16 after being physically and emotionally abused by her father and raped by a stranger.

She suffered eating disorders and self-harm but, after therapy, graduated from Edinburgh University and now works for two mental health charities, Borderline and Personality Plus.

[Droopy]

1. Even a lot of educated people

don't understand that mental illness is treatable and that people with mental illnesses can function quite normally in society.

I'm a trucker and I recently had to go to the doctor to have my bi-annual physical as required by law. I was up front about my mental illness and I knew the doctor would ask me about it so I got a note from my psychiatrist before the physical saying that he thought I could safely do my job and that I was in his care. The doctor performing the physical asked me a few questions about the illness and went over the note. She then passed me. That's how an intelligent and informed person does things. If you don't know something then you better ask somebody who does.

[pokerfan]

4. I guess the lesson to take away from all this

is if you think that you might have a mental illness, don't tell anyone, especially your doctor. Stigmas still exist, even today.

:(

[Cabcere]

5. I know - it really sucks.

:( It's scary that even those in the medical profession don't get it, either - I once had a clinical psychologist tell me that cutting was bad (no shit, Sherlock) and that I should get a boyfriend. :eyes: Like that would solve everything. I never went back to her again.

[skygazer]

6. I had one tell me I needed to put my trust in jesus

I told her that if I was looking for theological counseling, I would have gone to a priest. And never went back. :banghead:

[ThomCat]

2. Wow. That's truly barbaric.

x(

I hope she can raise enough of a stink to end that practice. Nobody should ever have a child taken away unless there is a real need, certainly never by doctors who have never met the patient, and not to "meet adoption targets."

This seems openly criminal!

[Oeditpus Rex]

3. When did Bill Frist move to England?

[Richard Steele]

7. So, who is profiting from stealing these babies? Follow the money, and...

...I bet the real reason would become clear.

[pokerfan]

9. Yep, they need to meet "adoption targets”.

The targets need the baby more than the single mom does.



My baby will be taken from me the moment it's born
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=480201&in_page_id=1879

Fran Lyon's website:
http://www.wardrobehudson.co.uk/askingforachance/Home.html

[skygazer]

8. Wow, this is pretty amazing stuff

"The case adds to growing concern, highlighted in a series of articles in The Sunday Telegraph, over a huge rise in the number of babies under a year old being taken from parents. The figure was 2,000 last year, three times the number 10 years ago.

Critics say councils are taking more babies from parents to help them meet adoption "targets".

John Hemming, the Liberal Democrat MP and chairman of the Justice for Families campaign group, said the case showed "exactly what is wrong with public family law".

He added: "There is absolutely no evidence that Fran would harm her child. However, a vague letter from a paediatrician who has never met her has been used in a decision to remove her baby at birth, while evidence from professionals treating her, that she would have no problems has been ignored."



That's crazy - to be able to do something like this with no evidence other than someone's opinion that its a "possibility?" :wow:

[alarimer]

11. It is insane

How do they know what she might do? It sounds to me that she has her life together now. I hope there is time to overturn this decision. Maybe adverse publicity is what they need.

[pokerfan]

12. I'm pretty sure that this is what they're going for

Maybe adverse publicity is what they need.

She is going to be gagged after delivery so she needs to make noise now. Complaining publicly after the delivery will land her in jail for contempt.

What needs to be kept in mind is that she's not the only one. 1300 cases annually like hers, up from 500 since this baby council took things over.

[alarimer]

14. And this is not some third-world country either

This is the UK, where you'd think they would be more enlightened than that regarding mental health issues.

Too bad she can't come to the US and have the kid.

[LeftyMom]

10. How did I know it would be a pretty white woman?

Healthy, light complected and young, that poor baby's the jackpot for the legal baby thieves.

[SPKrazy]

13. this is asinine...

where are the mental health advocates?

Oh that's right, i forgot, politicians only listen to money anymore and there isn't any money to be had from mental health advocates. :grr: