Although it sounds like the story of the twilight zone, it looks like in England, it is illegal to be fat.
Four obese children are on the verge of being permanently removed from their families by social workers after their parents failed to bring their weight under control.
In the first case of its kind, a mother and father are now faced with what they called “intolerable” likely never see them again.
Three daughters, aged 11, seven and one-five-year-old son and would “encourage non-contact” or accepted.
Anyway, just hope the family will be reunited if children try to follow their parents when they become adults.
The couple, who have been married for almost 20 years and has not been declared to protect the identity of their children are “draconian ‘ultimatum three years ago, as reported in The Mail on Sunday.
Warned that children should be thin or be accommodated, the family spent two years living in a council house, funded by “Big Brother” in which they were continuously monitored and the food we eat is controlled.
But although they undergo intensive supervision, social workers do not impose rules on what foods children should eat, and apparently there was little or no improvement.
News of the decision to remove them was broken in two, from Dundee, on Tuesday. Critics call it disgraceful violation of human rights and a chilling example of the power of the state to interfere in family life.
In an emotional interview, 42-year-old mother said: “We can not be perfect parents, but we love our children with all my heart. To face the future where we will never see them again is unbearable.
“They picked us because of our size to start and they just were not released, despite the fact that we have done everything to lose weight and meet their demands. We’re going to fight to the bitter end. It even feel like prisoners have more human rights than we do. ”
They have not committed any crime and are not accused of cruelty or violence. Their lawyer, Joe Miles said that there was “nothing sinister lurking in the background” and accused social workers, not to act in the best interests of the family.
“Dundee Social Services Department appear to have locked horns with this couple and will not quit,” he said, adding that the monitoring of projects caused more problems than it solves. “Parents are constantly being accused of bad parenting and live under a microscope.
They are older three children are all confused and angry at the ruling.
Speaking through tears, said 15-year-old daughter: “Social workers should hang their heads in shame. The weight of a person is their own business and only we can do nothing about it, not them. My parents are good people and they love us all. Four young do not know what is about to happen to them. ”
Social workers in early 2008 became known to the family after a son accused his father hit him on the forehead. In fact, he fell and hit his head on a heat sink – a fact he later admitted. However, the statement opens the door to the investigation of obesity.
While the couple have acknowledged their lawyer called “lower class” parenting issues that it deserves support, they were aghast when the issue of weight is retained as a major source of concern.
Report of the Council at the time, said: “With the exception of one name], children are overweight. Advice is given in terms of diet, but there is no improvement. Appointments with a dietician have been missed.”
At this point, then their 12-year-old son weighs 16 stone, 11-year-old sister weighed 12 stone and three-year-old sister weighed four stone. It is not known how four small children weigh now.
They were ordered to send their children to dance lessons and soccer and were given three months time to remove weight. , When it is not, children are placed in foster homes, but was allowed to visit their parents.
After a few objected to this procedure, the Council agreed to move them in a one bedroom apartment in a supported unit, managed by the project ‘Dundee Families. They insisted that the couple living with three of their children at a time.
During the meal, a social worker, stood in the room taking notes. Doctors have expressed concerns that the children put on weight when they spent some time with your parents, say they are vehemently denied.
The couple and their children must also adhere to a strict curfew of 23:00. This includes the “OC” and fill in the sheet by an employee who lived on the spot.
Although the weight of children is a major concern, other claims are included in the report. It showed that social workers were worried when the youngest child is found unattended crawl. Parents say they were never far from the apartment and had no stairs.
They also, “he tries to put dangerous things in their mouths.’s Family say it is natural in young children, and she was never successful.
Social workers are even more worried when she crawled through the contents of an overturned ashtray – “unfortunate one-off incident”, say parents. All concerns were rejected by the legal team of the family, as problems with “low class”.
Understandably, the father broke under the pressure of so carefully observed in January this year, and moved to the Council for an apartment elsewhere in the city.
In the next few months, the mother violated the lunch and dinner meals observations of his own recognition of “several” occasions, while taking children to see their father.
She never broke a personal 23 o’clock curfew, but once allowed seven-year-old daughter to stay with his father’s flat after she fell asleep. She did not want to worry and says the child has two parents, not one “and in” good hands “.
These violations have led staff to process failure and said his mother, was asked to leave the unit in April this year. She moved into the apartment of her husband, but children are handed over to foster parents.
Her lawyer said he plans to use independent experts to prove that children want to live with their parents and were damaged by the intervention of social workers. He added: “We may eventually turn to human rights laws.”
His father, aged 56, said: “We tried very hard to do everything asked of us. My wife cooked healthy foods such as homemade spaghetti bolognese and minced meat and potatoes, we cut snacks and only allows the children sweets Saturday. But nothing we’ve ever had enough.
“The pressure of living in the family unit will have a broken one. We were treated like children and cut off from the outside world. Is unacceptable to have a social worker stands and watch you eat. I want other families to know what can happen once social workers participate. We will fight them until the end to get our beloved children. ”
Estimated 26 million British adults will be overweight by 2030, with levels of obesity, running an all time high among children. Official statistics show those who are overweight, 50 percent spend more time in hospital, further put pressure on the NHS.
There, Fry, honorary chairman of the foundation for the growth of children, said: “This is a disgrace. These parents are clearly trying to comply. They are, if you like, play the game of” Dundee City Council, and yet they are still losing their children. ”
Dundee City Council said: “The Council always acting in the best interest of the children with their welfare and safety in mind.” source: dailymail uk
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