Back in August I wrote a brief post in this
blog about an article in the Times alleging that a child had been placed with
Muslim foster carers ‘inappropriately’.
At the time, I cautioned that the full facts of the case were not known and that much of the kind of comment I expected to see in the tabloid press would be inappropriate.
Now we have something approximating a factual account of the case. The Guardian reports that the Family Court judge has concluded that the child had a ‘warm’ relationship with the foster carers and is quoted as saying that the foster carers had not behaved in any way that was inconsistent with providing warm and appropriate care for the child.
To my mind all this goes to show that the press (especially the tabloid press) is not an appropriate place to determine the best interests of any child. Sickening and reckless comments by right wing columnists and ‘exclusives’ which appear to have stood the truth on its head have not helped this child or any other. Rather they make the whole process of trying to help children and families in need that much harder.
At the time, I cautioned that the full facts of the case were not known and that much of the kind of comment I expected to see in the tabloid press would be inappropriate.
Now we have something approximating a factual account of the case. The Guardian reports that the Family Court judge has concluded that the child had a ‘warm’ relationship with the foster carers and is quoted as saying that the foster carers had not behaved in any way that was inconsistent with providing warm and appropriate care for the child.
To my mind all this goes to show that the press (especially the tabloid press) is not an appropriate place to determine the best interests of any child. Sickening and reckless comments by right wing columnists and ‘exclusives’ which appear to have stood the truth on its head have not helped this child or any other. Rather they make the whole process of trying to help children and families in need that much harder.
