MOTHER'S NIGHTMARE: Mum who let her two kids sleep in her bed has them taken away and put up for adoption
- Details
- Category: Child Protection UK media and newspaper articles
- Created: Monday, 13 February 2017 22:11
- Written by Guy Birchall - The Sun UK
Social workers raised concerns about the boys, both aged under four, after they spotted bruising on the lads'.
A MUM who let her two kids sleep in her bed has had them taken off her and put up for adoption by a judge.
Social workers raised concerns about the boys, both aged under four, after they spotted bruising on the lads. A mum who allowed her two young boys to sleep in the same bed as her has had them removed from her care. Judge Peter Greene said the children’s mother had failed to act on advice about “co-sleeping” from childcare professionals and disregarded advice about feeding.
Judge Greene said proceedings began after the older boy’s leg was bruised when he was a few months old. The judge had concluded that the bruising had been “inflicted by the (boys’ father) but unintentionally as a result of using excessive force”. He had also concluded that the boys’ mother was “was ignoring advice against co-sleeping”. Social workers had been told to supervise and support the family. Professionals had then become concerned about the younger boy. Checks revealed bruises and a broken wrist when he was months old.
Social workers said the children’s mother was “continually ignoring their advice against having him in bed with her” – and rejecting advice about feeding.
Judge Greene said evidence showed that the couple loved their children and would not deliberately hurt them. But he said evidence also showed the children’s mother “always thinks that she knows best”. The judge said she was “brusque and physically forceful” with her children and dismissive of professionals. He said he was concerned for the children’s safety – and said adoption was the only realistic option.
What is co-sleeping?
CO-SLEEPING is the act of a parent sleeping in the same bed as their baby. The Department of Health says that the safest place for a baby to sleep is in a cot in the same room as its parents for the first six months of its life.But around half of all mums admit to nodding off in the same bed as their infant at some time during the first few months after the birth. This can be dangerous especially if parents fall asleep holding their babies while in armchairs or on sofas.Risks include the baby falling out of the bed or off the sofa or armchai, as well as being trapped if the parent rolls over while sleeping.It has also been shown to increse the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. Although the practice is discouraged by all of the main professional bodies their are guidelines about how best to do it if you have to.
These include:
- Making sure your baby can’t fall out of the bed or become trapped between the mattress and the wall.
- Use sheets and blankets rather than a duvet.
- Preventing bedding from covering your baby’s face or head.
- Always put your baby to sleep on their back rather than their front or side.
- Not giving the baby a pillow until they are at least a year old.
- Never risk falling asleep with your infant on a sofa or armchair.
Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2850500/mum-who-let-her-two-kids-sleep-in-her-bed-has-them-taken-away-and-put-up-for-adoption/
