'Give me back my Kids' pleads
Heartbroken Mum'
by Lesley Richards
Leigh Journal
A FORMER Leigh mum fighting for the return of her children is to lobby
Downing Street on Saturday.
The mother of three daughters, who she claims were taken from her by social
services, has joined Purple Hearts, a new sub group within the prominent Fathers
for Justice for women, friends and relatives affected by contact disputes.
She will join the campaigners, led by 1,000 singers, to march through London
to the Houses of Parliament - and aims to knock on the door of number 10.
The mum, who cant be named for legal reasons, has also appealed to Wigan MP
Neil Turner and to the Prime Minister for help.
She said: I'm hoping my daughters may see me on TV as its one of the limited
means they have. My youngest was 16 months old and still in nappies when they
were unjustly taken from me after I had suffered violence from my husband who
was not living at home at the time
Every day is like a nightmare for me being apart from my beloved daughters.
Its a living bereavement. It is important I highlight the failure and total
injustice I have been subjected to.
I had my visits stopped for two years now! I have been left in limbo land and
abandoned wrongly. I was the victim in all this, as well as my daughters being
deprived of their loving, mother who absolutely adores them.
I need help to get my voice heard, also in getting the relevant people to
help change the unfair system we have and the injustices so rife today. It is
left to a family court judge, with social services, to decide the fate of a
family, unfettered by any outside judgement, or publicity. This is far from
justice
She claims family law as it stands does not work, is rarely of benefit to the
child and promotes injustice, creates conflict and unhappiness on a massive
scale, treats parents with contempt, suspicion, disdain and hostility and child
custody rulings show no understanding of society and what the social sciences
are saying.
In a letter to Parliament she states: I have been unjustly denied the love
and companionship of my three daughters for going on two years now! It is clear
an immense injustice has been perpetrated against me.
I am not only concentrating on my contact being rightly restored but the
rightful return of my beloved daughters. At Stockport County Court in September
my visits were shockingly blocked indefinitely, and I was not given any
opportunity to contest.
I have done nothing deserving of this and I am being punished! My children
were re-habilitated in Leigh with my husband in September. I have no parenting
time with my daughters anymore. My children have been denied the right to a
family life with their mother, in contravention of the European Human Rights
convention. According to an authoritative study by Guy Hordern published this
year, to remove a child from his (mother) in this case amounts to a form of
child abuse.
I would welcome the chance to hear your views on how best to resolve this
conflict.
Wigan MP Neil Turner wrote to Wigan's director of social services, Bernard
Walker, regarding the mums case and was told in July that there was no
indication at that time that changes to contact arrangement would be made, but
his department had a duty to review the situation on a regular basis and that
the decisions had been taken to safeguard the welfare of the children.
A spokesman for Mr Turners office said: The contents of this letter have been
sent to the mum and because we have heard nothing further we assumed she was
happy with the response.
Theresa
May, Then Shadow Secretary
of State for the Family
Feb 28 2005
The mum, who can’t be named for
legal reasons, has appealed to Wigan MP Neil Turner and to the prime
minister for help. She said: “I’m hoping my daughters may see me on TV as
its one of the limited means they have.
My youngest was sixteen months old
and still in nappies when they were unjustly taken from me after I had
suffered violence from my husband who was not living at the home at the time
“Ever day is like a nightmare for me being apart from my beloved daughters.
It’s a living bereavement.
It is important I highlight the
failure and total injustice I have been subjected to. “I’ve had my visits
stopped for two years now! I have been in limbo land and abandoned wrongly.
I was the victim in all this, as well as my daughters being deprived of
their loving mother who absolutely adores them. “I need help to get my voice
heard, also in getting the relevant people to help change the unfair system
we have and the injustices so rife today.
Bernard
Walker,
Adoption fight, couple win £12,000
compensation
from Wigan Social Services Department
It is left to a
family court judge, with social services, to decide the fate of a family,
unfettered by any outside judgement, or publicity. This is far from
Justice.” She claims family law as it stands does not work, is rarely of
benefit to the child and promotes injustice, creates conflict and
unhappiness on a massive scale, treats parents with contempt, suspicion,
disdain and hostility and child custody rulings show no understanding of
society and what the social sciences are saying.
In a letter to parliament she
states: “I have been denied the love and companionship of my three daughters
for going on for two years now! It is clear an immense injustice has been
perpetrated against me, “I am not only concentrating on my contact being
rightly restored but the rightful return of my beloved daughters.
At Stockport county court in
September my visits were shockingly blocked indefinitely, and I was not
given any opportunity to contest. “I have done nothing deserving of this and
I am being punished! My children were rehabilitated in Leigh with my husband
in September. I have no parenting time with my daughters any more.
'Its like a
living Bereavement'
My children have been denied the
right to a family life with their mother, in contravention of the European
Human Rights convention. According to authoritative study by Guy Hordern
published this year, to remove a child from his (mother) in this case
amounts to a form of child abuse. “I would welcome the chance to
hear your views on best to resolve this conflict”
The Heartbroken Mum 'J' Caught up
on the other side of the SS coin.
MP Neil Turner writes to Bernard Walker head of the Social
Services Department in Wigan for answers in her case
Wigan MP Neil turner wrote to Wigan’s directors of social services, Bernard
Walker, regarding the mums case and was told in July that here was no
indication at that time that changes to contact arrangement would be made,
but his department had a duty to review the situation on a regular basis and
that the decisions had been taken to safeguard the welfare of the children.
A spokesman for Mr Turner’s office
said: “The contents of this letter have been sent to the mother and because
we have heard nothing further we assumed she was happy with the response.”
Prime Minister Tony Blair's reply to
'J' March 17, 2005
The
Prime Minister has asked me to thank you for your recent letter and to say
that the views you
have expressed have been carefully noted.
He would like to reply personally, but, as you will appreciate, he receives
many thousands of letters each week and this is not possible
The subject you raise is
the responsibility of the Department for Education and Skills.
Mr. Blair has asked that
your letter be forwarded to that Department, so that they, too, are
aware of your views and
can reply to the detailed points you raise.
Earl
Howe - Shadow Health Minister (Lords)
reply to 'J'
Shadow Minister for Children and Families -
Earl Howe
Wednesday, 23 November
2005
Dear Mrs ....,
Thank you for sending me
details of your case, which is extremely distressing and moving. I send you
all my sympathy.
Surprising as it may
appear, I do not, as a parliamentarian, have much leverage in matters of
this kind: they are very much the province of the family courts who, as you
might suppose, resent outside interference. However if you have not already
done so, you might consider contacting your Member of Parliament in relation
to the actions of social services. If you believe that they have acted
unfairly or unprofessionally, this could well be a matter for a formal
complaint. A complaint is not perhaps central to your objectives as regards
your children; but was such a complaint to be upheld it might open the door
to progress. I am sure that your MP would be able to guide you on this.
Once again, my thanks to
you for contacting me. Rest assured that the Conservative spokesmen in the
Lords as well as the Commons will continue to battle for reform of the
family court system whose shortcomings we fully recognise.
With every good wish
Frederick Howe
(Earl Howe) House of
Lords
