A Labour-run council came under mounting condemnation for removing three children from the care of foster parents in Britain who are members of the Ukip political party. The three youngsters – European migrants – were happy with the couple and there was no question mark over the care they were providing.
But the children were removed from them after social workers discovered their membership of the right-wing party, which wants Britain to withdraw from the European Union. Social workers were concerned about the children’s “cultural and ethnic needs” and told the couple that Ukip – which also campaigns for tougher immigration controls – was “racist”.
Education Secretary Michael Gove said social workers had made “the wrong decision in the wrong way for the wrong reasons. The ideology behind their decision is actively harmful to children. We should not allow considerations of ethnic or cultural background to prevent children being placed with loving and stable families.”
Labour leader Ed Miliband said: “Being a member of Ukip should not be a bar to adopting or fostering children.”
Accusing the council of bigotry, Ukip leader Nigel Farage said he felt “very upset and very angry, particularly for the couple involved, who have been fostering for many years and are very decent people, and the awful shock to them of having these children removed, not to mention the upset to the children themselves.”
Re: Foster children removed from “right-wing” couple
This is really going overboard. Everybody is entitled to their opinions and political choices. Having said that, each child grows up to be a unique individual with their own opinions and ideas. Even real parents’ political and social inclinations might be completely different from their kids’ and that happens.
A lot of people in Britain are in favour of Britain opting out of the EU and curbing on lenient immigration policies. But at the end of the day what mattered was that these people were good and loving foster parents. It’s a shame to remove these kids who were happy with them from under their care. Think of the emotional trauma of separation, anxiety about the unknown and who would they go to now
Re: Foster children removed from “right-wing” couple
While being an active member of a racist party is indeed problematic, it should never be used as an excuse to take kids away from someone. This is a very slippery rope those social workers are walking on.
Re: Foster children removed from “right-wing” couple
Unless the social workers are able to prove that the couple’s political affiliations are impacting the needs of the children, they should not be able to remove them.
Re: Foster children removed from “right-wing” couple
I think UKIP ar far from far right, all they advocate is controlled immigration of unskilled workers, which sounds pretty sensible to me considering the UK has 2.3 million unemployed. And a total rethink of the UK’s EU memebrship. Far more worrying for me is having children taken off you for your political views. The UK is meant to be a shining bastion of democoracy, not some neo fasisct state.
Also This is the council who knew about sexual abuse taking place amongst mipuri taxi drivers, yet chose to ignore it " for reasons of social and cultural diversity”
Re: Foster children removed from “right-wing” couple
A situation is very different when we’re talking about the “system” choosing foster/adoptive parents. Along with trying to find a good/stable home for children, there are also legal liabilities they must take into account. We don’t take children away from parents just b/c they (ie. the parents) are homeless, have a criminal record, happen to be VERY poor, homosexual, single etc. etc. etc.
However, when people apply to foster/adopt children…they have to jump through hoops to “prove” that they can meet the agency’s set starndards. Example: We don’t check a mother’s financial status at the hospital to determine whether or not she has enough money to take care of her newborn…yet people must meet certain financial requirements before being allowed to foster/adopt children.
I feel like the article is missing some important information. Since I know nothing about the system in the UK…I’m curious as to whether or not the “system” there has some type of requirement in writing that states that foster parents can not be members of certain groups.
Also, what exactly is the process to become foster parents? Interviews? Home visits? Did the agency know BEFORE placing the children the the couple belonged to this particular group? If not, then exactly how did they find out? Are the kids actually old enough to have a say in where they live?
