This was Miss Mac's group.
This picture was taken in around 1959, just before the Home for Girls was closed down and they were transferred up to HDLG.
My aunt is in this photo, if the records are not available for this era my mum can identify at least half of the girls in the photo.
9 comments:
I wonder if the JEP will print this letter:
Dear Editor,
After reading the article in the JEP dated 14th January about the 'young boys forced to live in filth', I would like to raise the following issues. Firstly why was a family that was obviously in need of some guidance not given help? Their mother was obviously suffering from both a medical and a psychological condition, I assume doctors would have been aware of these problems and perhaps some sort of home help may have been all that was needed for this family. As these children were reportedly subject to longterm systematic abuse, may I ask where the family's help and support was from Education? Under the Education (Jersey) Law 1999, articles 24 and 25, illustrate the options that the headteacher may offer a family and a child in need of help with matters such as cleanliness, clothing etc. Why was there no such help available to this family? Also the point that stands out is in the summing up 'long-term systematic neglect of your house', well after looking through the numerous Jersey Laws I have failed to come up with one that tells me what are the standards of cleanliness expected if you have children, so may I ask 'how clean is your house?' If all these failures in the system had been tackled in the first place with a bit of commonsense and support, and perhaps the donation of a bed (my daughter has a spare child's bed which I would be happy to give to the parents) then maybe the children would still be at home.
There are 2 things here.
One is, you didn't read the full story, in which case you should refrain from commenting on issues where you do not have all the information.
Number 2 is you know who this family is and you are defending them as you think the conditions that the children were living in were acceptable or the parents have been treated unfairly. Is it OK for a parent to call their children retards and bastards? what about the physical abuse?
For your information, the boy had a bed. It was the father who wouldn't let him sleep in it as he thought his video collection took priority. As for the children being removed, it was reported in the paper that it was they that didn't want to go home.
I now have serious doubts about the credibility of everything you have written on your blog and am now beginning to wonder whether you have been completely honest with your readers about your situation.
To the last anonymous poster, could you please explain who you are talking to as I put anonymous posts on as all people have different opinions. Are you talking to me or the person who wrote to the JEP above? Please clarify. As i have said previously - I can prove all I say about my situation - Thank you
Please accept my apologies, in my utter disbelief of what i was reading I was very quick to think that you had written this letter, and now on closer inspection I realize that you didn't. My mistake, I'm still learning about blogs and once again, I am sorry.
I take back the last paragraph of my original post which concerned the credibility of your (One Day) posts.
However, my first 3 paragraphs I stand by and I put these comments to the poster of that letter, and anyone who agrees with those views.
Apology accepted! Whilst I am strongly opposed to any form of child abuse, having re-read the above letter, I think anonymous is trying to appeal to people's humanity rather than defending the parents actions. In my opinion people should receive help if needed, so I wonder if they received any help before they were charged?
One Day, my job involves visiting many peoples houses every day, from all walks of life.On the subject of filthy houses,they are a lot more common than some people might think and a lot worse than described in jep (never heard of neglect of your house, being a criminal offence,why dont they stick with the charges ),while its not nice,i do not judge people on the way they choose to live their lives.
We are not just talking about a dirty house. we are talking physical abuse from parents who thought their DVD collection more important than their children. We are talking emotional abuse. If a child is constantly being called a retard and a bastard and worse, how do you think this is going to affect them.
The children went days or weeks without washing and were forced to go to school in dirty, smelly uniforms. Can you imagine how that must have been for them.
Adults who choose to live like this can do so if they wish, but those children didn't have a choice.
When parents fail to protect their kids, keep them safe and provide the basic care for their emotional, physical and educational needs, then that is when the authorities are forced to step in and remove them.
Mr T. if you are seeing homes that are not fit for children to live in then you must report this. If you are not, then you are as guilty of failing these poor kids as much as there parents.
Ive looked at jep report again and to me half the case rests on there being a dirty home, as stated foremost in Mr Falles sentencing. I think your being a bit naive if you dont know people live like this, not only in jersey, but the world over.Of course this treatment of children is unacceptable, and yes i have reported what i feel to be the worst cases to social services.In a home where hundreds of children were physically and emotionally abused by the very people responsible for their welfare, no-one has yet been prosecuted.Strange that! Cant work out if your social services or police yet. You seem to know more than has been reported.
I think (in the majority of cases) rather than apportion BLAME, 'SS' should have a policy of SUPPORT.
I know from my own as well as another persons experience, ' Jersey SS' are good at blaming parents and making matters worse, and they are useless at supporting parents, and making matters better.
In my case, if they had listened to us, supported us(just briefly- ie. perhaps the equivalent of one or two days of services), WOW... would me and my children be a whole lot better off today.
We got NO 'support', I got 'blamed' and the family continues to suffer as a result of their actions and lack of appropriate action. If SS were looking for positive outcomes, then they must change their policy.
Post a Comment