Should an eight-year-old kid who weighs 14 stone be taken into care for neglect?

Question

It has just been on the news about him - and his mum doesn't know what she has done wrong...

14 stone is the equivalent of 90 kilos or 198 pounds.

Answer 1

He's certainly just as neglected as a child who is being starved.
However the problem is how much better off would he be in the care system? The family needs help. There is no easy answer but removing a child from its home is a serious decision I think it should be a last resort. It all depends on the particular circumstances. without knowing all the details you can't really judge.

Answer 2

Well, judging by how many people on here post questions regarding the inadequacies of the NHS I wouldn't be too hasty to jump on the 'take hime away from that monster of the mother' bandwaggon. Many friends of mine have been neglected by the NHS for serious problems so I think this could be the case of that. The mother did state that she was seeking help from the doctors but nobody has given her son the treatment/programme he needs. She isn't a medical professional so I don't know what she could have done. Living on junkfood should not blow up somebody to 14 stone like that, so there may be some underlying condition too.

Answer 3

Not just yet. I think the boy should go through some form of weight-loss "rehab" program and the mother should be required to take some serious parenting and nutrition/health classes to learn how to handle him once he's on the road to better health. If she fails or refuses, then it's possible the child would need to be removed from her care.

Not all forms of improper care deserve the family to be torn apart. We assume that everyone has the same amount of common sense and willpower that we do, but unfortunately that isn't the case. People can be educated to become better parents, though, and in these cases everything possible should be done to keep families together.

Answer 4

well I think she does know, because he's already lost a stone and a half. It must be extremely hard to tell a child "no" all the time when they're begging for food constantly.

he spends half his time at school, so some of the fault has to lie with them. As for his mum, she probably needs educating on the right sort of food to give him and ways to get him to exercise and keep cakes and biscuits etc out of his way. I agree that she did seem a bit clueless but I don't think going into care is the answer - they probably won't care enough or have enough time to control what he eats and care should always be used as a last resort - it can be very damaging to children

Answer 5

Yes I would agree, this child has obviously got medical problems, seems the Mum may have some issues too! She should be grateful of some support, poor child needs some help!!! If she proves to be of sound mind then she should be prosecuted for wilful neglect of a child but if she has some sort of mental health problem/learning disability, she should get the help for herself and her child! Bless him, poor childxxxx

Answer 6

I don't think he should be taken into care because that's no fun for any 8 year old who obviously loves his mum. I think it's her that should be put under social service care. She should be made to learn about healthy eating and have to attend (with her son) meetings to help him and her understand about weight and how to control it. It's a way of moitoring her parenting. If she really isn't making any attempt to make him understand and make him eat more healthy food then something should be done about her. I understand that it's hard to make any kid eat what they don't want to but her attitude was terrible. You can tell she just takes the easy route and gives in to his liking for crappy food because it's easier for her and then she just blames everybody else. I bet she'd be quick enough to take credit if he won an award for something. That would be because of her good parenting but apparently this isn't because of her bad parenting!Nobody said being a parent was meant to be easy!

Answer 7

I find it hard to see how it can be classed as neglect. If he was malnourished then, Yes, but she hasnt neglected him because shes fed him up, in fact its far from neglect. I think that they both need to get help, The mother needs to be taught that it is important for a youngster to get the correct nutrition, and not just fed up with junk so that he is not hungry.

If they take him away, then they will have to carry on taking all fat kids away from their parents.

Answer 8

It's neglect I'm afraid, pure and simple, the mother has lost control and the kids health is at risk now.
It's sad that it can probably be put down to the mothers education, but it is the child's safety that's at stake.
It wouldn't be for too long, only until she knows better and the kid is on the mend.....and maybe puts the fork down (sorry, it's Monday)

Answer 9

she was saying this morning on the tv programme this morning that she had been trying to get help from the medic's since he was 4 1/2 but they failed him also... they are the professionals not his mother so why is it fair that they can neglect him as a special case patient and get away with it and he gets taken away from his mother who did nothing but love him and the best she could with no help or education on his problem

Answer 10

i don't think the child should be taken in to care, I think the parents should be educated. I think the mother must have some mega issues...maybe she gives him lots to eat because that's the only way she thinks that she can show love. Feeding and nurturing your child is what us mothers are made for. I think she needs to remember that you can kill with kindness though.