When I agreed to serve as a magistrate in the Family Court, I thought that I would be dealing with babies and young children whose lives were in serious danger. I expected to hear about broken bones, filthy clothing, sexual abuse – and parents taking so many drugs that they were unable to care for their offspring.
The sad truth, of course, is that too many children are living with abusive parents – and it is quite right that we should do all we can to protect them and to remove them from danger.
What I witnessed during my short time on the Family Bench, however, were cases where babies and young children were removed from families who, although not perfect, could probably offer their children a safe and decent home, were they to receive some help and support.
In each case, these were families living in deprived areas. They were young parents, with little money and limited education.
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