Children
are taken away but the
system can't admit it's wrong
We can have any child
in the world in
this house, except
our son
Cassandra Jardine
Telegraph
3-8-04
Cassandra Jardine
Telegraph
3-8-04
Many of the miscarriages of justice which have happened could have
been prevented Prof Alan Craft, Royal College of Paediatrics.
Julie Ferris "How
could have I killed my babies"
Now the tragic mum could win a huge compensation pay-out for the four
terrible years she suffered in custody. Last night Julie, who has had
the names of her babies tattooed on her arm, said:
I was detained under the Mental Health Act and spent four years in bail hostels,
secure units, hospitals and in prison. I was dragged around the country, miles
away from my family. I was branded a child-killer and beaten up by other inmates
because of what he said.
IC BIRMINGHAM By Fionnuala
Burke, Sunday Mercury.Julie
Ferris "How
could have I killed my babies" More...
In England last year, nearly six thousand children were registered at risk of
physical abuse. But the figures vary hugely from place to place. For example, a
child in the Wirral is 13 times more likely to be registered compared to a child
in Oldham. Yet there’s no evidence that parents in the Wirral are more abusive
than those in Oldham.
The problem is that diagnosing abuse is far from an
exact science. It’s all down to the examining doctor’s opinion. And some
doctors are far more ready to diagnose child abuse than their
colleagues.
Andrea Colley had all three of her children taken into care – all on the
say-so of a vet. Three puppies had all died in the family home, in
mysterious circumstances. After post-mortems, the vet decided the dogs
had been deliberately killed.
He contacted the police who brought in Professor David Southall, a
renowned but controversial paediatrician who has frequently testified in
court as an expert witness on child abuse. Despite not meeting the
family, he diagnosed Andrea as suffering from Munchausen’s Syndrome by
Proxy, and a danger to her children who were then taken into care.
Fortunately, a psychiatrist examined Andrea and disagreed with Professor
Southall. The children were returned home and eventually Andrea’s
husband admitted he had killed the dogs, while suffering from a
breakdown.
Harry was a perfectly normal, healthy little boy. There was no evidence
that he was at risk of abuse. When he fell off a sofa onto his head, his
parents insisted he have a brain scan. It showed that he had suffered a
serious brain haemorrhage. Doctors argued that such a serious injury
could only have been caused by a severe blow – which was ruled out
because Harry had no cuts or bruises – or by being very severely shaken.
With no other suspects in the frame, his parents immediately fell under
suspicion.
Harry was taken into care. But the doctors had made a terrible mistake.
Harry’s haemorrhage was actually due to a previously undiagnosed
condition he suffers from called platelet storage disorder. After three
months, Harry was returned to his parents. But they are so worried he
might have another accident – and be taken away from them again – they
make him wear a crash helmet all the time.
GP James Le Fanu believes some doctors are too eager to diagnose abuse.
“There are certainly hardliners who’ve managed to convince themselves
that a particular pattern of injury is diagnostic of child abuse,” he
says.
It’s the fear of another Victoria Climbie catastrophe that is forcing
doctors to be more certain than the evidence warrants and no one wants
to send a child home to die. Paediatrician Mike Coren from St Mary’s
Hospital says pressure from the police and the courts means doctors are
just not allowed to admit when they’re not sure.
Channel 4 (S4C Wales)
Full Program - Essential Viewing for all Parents.
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