Political correctness gone mad?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.telegraph....ue-to-two-cigars.html

Should this couple have been banned from fostering children because the husband has smoked 2 cigars, in 18 months?

The council's policy is for them not to allow persons who smoke, to foster children under five.

Since the couple already have two children one aged 5 and another aged 3, should they now be taken into care?

[Zeuhl]

em

that is an ideological debate that i don't fully understand.

i assume there is evidence that culturally mis-placed children are harmed by the experience but i suspect there are also arguments that they are outweighed by the benefits of any kind of home life.

i'm not qualified to judge.

[askyourgran]

My Dad smoked all the time when I was young, so did most of my friends' fathers. It hasn't made much difference the to the way I turned out, except maybe I was the only other one to smoke in our family. I think the Council are over-reacting it isn't as if he was a chain smoker is it? And he probably didn't smoke in front of them. If the council took all children into care with parents who smoke the childrens-homes would be bursting at the seams. As long as they were good responsible foster parents it shouldn't matter.

[Zeuhl]

<<If the council took all children into care with parents who smoke the childrens-homes would be bursting at the seams.>>

that's the point - those children are the responsibility of their parents. The children being placed with foster carers are the council's responsibility.

[askyourgran]

It is of course a responsible course to take by the council. But in the light of the many children waiting to be taken into loving homes, the ban on this couple is a little harsh. Some of these children coming from an abusive household, maybe with alcoholic or drug taking parents who may even smoke. I take it that the foster mother - the main carer - the one who looks after the children the most, doesn't smoke, and the foster father only an occasional social smoker.

[askyourgran]

I've just read the link, the family look clean and well cared for. The father is honest by admitting he has smoked at two social gatherings, I take it the children were not present. Only in Essex.

[JonnyBoy12]

That is very silly. They should be given a second chance. The whole justice system is based on the precept that a man can change.

Hope you all agree with me on this one.

[emmie]

Zeuhl The notices to foster, adopt have been around for some time. But the first time i saw one, it stated quite clearly only black families need apply, which i thought wrong. Its discrimination if you like against not just white families fostering a black child, but anyone else.
I can understand the childs needs are paramount, and so it should be, but surely a good home, with caring and kind people is better than being in care.

[modeller]

roxie //If this was such an issue (please don't take this the wrong way) why let same sex relationships adopt x //
I must admit I would prefer a child was brought in a normal family of a mum and dad but if there was no alternative I would accept it .

[roxie_09]

Modeller, I have no issue with same sex couples adopting etc, yes the ideal would be a mother and father, but this doesn't determine the amount of love people can give to their adopted son/daughter. It is also the same with white families adopting children of other races and vice versa, as long as they were getting the love and stability, what does the colour of their skin matter? x

[emmie]

roxie, agreed

[jno]

I entirely agree with Zeuhl - children shouldn't be handed over to smokers (would you approve of them being given to drug addicts generally?) but a cigar a year doesn't make you a smoker.

[Oneeyedvic]

I used to sell life insurance (as part of finance packages) and at the time (around 7 years ago) you were classed as a non smoker if you smoked less than one cigar a month