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Children Taken Into Care for Being Too Fat

The Independent Feb 2014

Up to 74 morbidly obese children are estimated to have been taken into care over the last five years,
according to figures obtained under Freedom of Information laws. Over the last three years, 183 children
aged under 12 were found to weigh more than 101 kilograms; the heaviest boy was 146 kilograms while
the heaviest girl was 139.

Out of 206 local authorities responsible for child protection in Scotland, England and Wales, 128
councils told the Daily Mirror that 26 to 46 morbidly obese children were taken into care. Some
provided approximate figures out of concern to avoid identification of the children. This suggests that 41
to 74 children were taken into care nationwide.

A spokeswoman for the Department for Education said: This is not an issue about children who might
be a few kilos overweight. This is about protecting those facing significant and possibly even life-
threatening problems.

Tam Fry, a spokesman for the National Obesity Forum, said letting children get so obese at such a young
age was quite simply child neglect and abuse. I understand the reluctance of social workers to act until
medical professionals have seen the children. But once a care order is obtained, no delay on their part is
acceptable. It is a national tragedy that so many children are now, quite rightly, being taken into care,
he said.

And Virginia Blake, a lecturer in obesity at the College of Contemporary Health, said that childhood
obesity was now completely out of hand.

This demonstrates that we do not have adequately trained health care professionals or a dedicated care
pathway to manage this problem, she said.

However, Rhian Jones, an eating behavioural expert who also works at the College of Contemporary
Health, said taking a child into care while they were young could perpetuate the problem that needs to
be treated.

Obese children commonly see food as a comfort and therefore removing their parental comfort will
inevitably take them down the road to their next favoured comfort - food, she said. Removing the
child from their parent must surely be the last resort.

Connect each of the words on the left with its definition on the
right.
1. Morbidly a. Official warrant from a court that demands
custody

2. Take into care b. A course of action or process

3. Care order c. To extend, prolong or make continue

4. Out of hand d. Very fat

5. Pathway e. Unhealthy

6. Perpetuate f. Only action left to take

7. Obese g. Without control

County
attendCouncil
the meeting and debateSocial Services
do next regarding the Debate
Read the memo below and then read your personality card. After that,
what the board should
issue at hand. Each person should spend at least 1 minute stating their
opinion and a further 5 minutes debating what should be done once
everybody has had their say. A vote must be taken at the end.
Memo
To: Senior Case Officers
From: Trent Gibson
Date: 18/09/15
Re: Obesity custody question

Dear Team,

As you all know from our previous meetings, there have been a number of cases
reported in the press on the implementation of care orders issued for children that have been
found to be obese. Bearing in mind that our county has just been shown to have the second
highest level of child obesity in the country, the result of all this attention has been urgent
inquiries from our councillors and senior police officers as to this departments policy.
I know that some of you have strong opinions on this and as such it would be a good
idea if we could all sit down and develop a robust and clear policy together. There must be no
ambiguity. The question we must answer is whether or not a clear case-cut of avoidable child
obesity constitutes abuse or not? If it does, should we take the child away from its parents of
its own good or should the parents be obligated to do a nutritional reorientation course?
What other alternative actions could we take?
The meeting will take place at 16:15 on Monday in conference room 4. Please also
bear in mind the cost when making your deliberations. Our budgets are under close scrutiny
at the moment due to the austerity measures introduced by the current government.

Warmest regards
Trent Gibson

You are senior case officer at the office You think that the well-being of children is
of Child Services. When you were a paramount. When you were a child your
Debate taken into care Personality
Role-Play:
child you were after Cards parents were lazy and abusive and as a result
you had a very bad time. Your older brother
both your parents died in an accident. suffered from psychological abuse at the
Your childhood was terrible and as far hands of both your parents and,
as you are concerned no child should consequently, has serious self-esteem issues.
have to go through same experience as In your mind, if there is the slightest doubt
you. To you, care orders are the very as to the parents childrearing abilities, then
last resort. the child should be protected.
A few years ago you recommended and was You were brought up in a care home
granted a Care Order for a child after the for children and remember a very
child had denounced her parents as abusive. happy childhood. You were always
5 years later the same child came to the
office and revealed that she had lied because
surrounded by friends and the people
she was angry when her parents didnt buy looking after you were wonderful. As
her a dog. As a result the family in question far as you are concerned, you had 6
have never really recovered. You feel very parents and every one of them still
bad about this and would never recommend visits you regularly. The wellbeing of
this course of action again. children is paramount to you. If it
becomes necessary to take children

You are a great believer in the family. You are a firm believer in education.
You do not trust the state or any You feel that all cases of child obesity
bureaucracy to raise children. You can be solved through effective
belong to several political groups education. You also believe that
dedicated to preserving the family. parents lack the necessary skills to
To you, taking a child from its parents educate their child properly. You are of
is one the worst crimes that could the opinion that the state knows better
possibly be committed. Even if the than anyone and that sometimes its
parents are bad, you think that they can better to have the children in an
be re-educated. environment where they can be taught

You are a senior case officer and child You are a senior case officer and a
psychotherapist. You are convinced that a strict vegetarian. Not only do you
childs place is with its parents and anything
else is severely damaging to the childs think that obese children should be
psychological development. You have had a taken into care but you also feel that
lot of contact with children that are in care the current obesity crises is down to
and have found them to have serious the carnivorous eating habits of
behavioural problems. In your opinion, a care Western society. You think that Social
order should only be recommended if its a
case of life and death. Services childrens homes should only
serve vegetarian food to the kids.

CHOOSE ONE OF THE PERSONALITY CARDS ABOVE AND


THEN1. USE THIS AS YOUR MOTIVATION
Morbidly DURING
a. Official warrant from THE
a court that demands
ROLE-PLAY.
custody

2. Take into care b. A course of action or process


Children Taken Into Care for Being Too Fat:
Mix3. Care
and Match Answers
order c. To extend, prolong or make continue

4. Out of hand d. Very fat

5. Pathway e. Unhealthy

6. Perpetuate f. Only action left to take

7. Obese g. Without control


Answers
1) = e)
2) = h)
3) = a)
4) = g)
5) = b)
6) = c)
7) = d)
8) = f)

More: Personality Cards

You believe strongly that the state should You think that people dont take
not interfere in family matters except under healthy eating seriously enough. You
the most extreme cases. You feel that the also feel that far too many parents
obesity epidemic has been exaggerated out
of all proportion. You think that there should
avoid their responsibilities. You really
be more political action regarding the believe that parents that dont provide
obesity epidemic such as imposing fines a properly balanced diet for their
against companies that put too much salt, children are lazy and are probably
sugar or fat in food and you use every encouraging their kids in other bad or
opportunity to say so. anti-social habits, too.

You feel strongly that childhood is the You are doctor and you specialise in
most important time in a persons life nutrition. You feel that people dont
and the trauma of being separated from take the subject of obesity seriously
ones parents could cause irreparable enough. As far as you are concerned,
damage to the child. You think this not only are parents that feed their
something that must be avoided at all children foods that are high in fats, salt
costs. Your parents died when you and sugar being irresponsible, they are
were only 7 and you were raised by also committing a crime. You think the
your aunt. You and your aunt never parents of morbidly obese children
liked each other and you had an should go to prison and you use every

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