Was social worker Yvonne Martin right to approach the McCanns with help?

[Mr Gray]

I personally see it as neglect, in that, as I have explained before, the Local Authorities I worked for would certainly have taken the situation seriously and would have investigated and possibly put some ways of dealing with it into action.  That would not, as I have also explained, necessarily have meant prosecution.

As I have said before it was advertised on the mark warner web site throughout europe so I think your personal opinion is wrong

[CPN]

That is fine, we will agree to disagree.  But as I have also said before, I had three sisters in care (already in care, not taken into care by me) when I started work who had been removed from their home under very similar circumstances. I most certainly think the situation would have been looked into very seriously - what decision would then have been taken is another matter, and also how it would have been dealt with

[John]

Was it wrong to rebuke Yvonne Martin for offering to help a family in distress?

[icabodcrane]

I don't think Yvonne Martin had anything  to offer in the way of  'help'  to the McCanns that day ...  she was being an officious busy-body in my opinion

Before Social workers are allocated work assignments,  case-conferences are held where all known information  ( usually from multiple sources  )   is reveiwed and discussed

This woman just stormed in ...  with no knowledge of the family or circumstances, and, more importantly,  no official or sanctioned remit 

I don't blame the McCanns at all for sending her off with a flea in her ear

[C.Edwards]

I don't think Yvonne Martin had anything  to offer in the way of  'help'  to the McCanns that day ...  she was being an officious busy-body in my opinion

Before Social workers are allocated work assignments,  case-conferences are held where all known information  ( usually from multiple sources  )   is reveiwed and discussed

This woman just stormed in ...  with no knowledge of the family or circumstances, and, more importantly,  no official or sanctioned remit 

I don't blame the McCanns at all for sending her off with a flea in her ear

There are two sides to every story. She said she was trying to help and the McCanns/Payne were rude and the McCanns say she was an interfering so-and-so in approximate terms. If I'd been out there and was a social worker and had experience in roughly similar areas where I thought my expertise may be of some help, I would almost have almost certainly offered to help. I would have tried to be as sensitive as possible.  Do we know for certain that Yvonne Martin wasn't?

[icabodcrane]

There are two sides to every story. She said she was trying to help and the McCanns/Payne were rude and the McCanns say she was an interfering so-and-so in approximate terms. If I'd been out there and was a social worker and had experience in roughly similar areas where I thought my expertise may be of some help, I would almost have almost certainly offered to help. I would have tried to be as sensitive as possible.  Do we know for certain that Yvonne Martin wasn't?

She was out of order to impose herself on a family in that situation,  I think     ( without relevant information or remit  ) 

Social Work  isn't an emergency service  ...  it's not like a doctor,  or nurse, or fireman, stepping up to the plate in desperate circumstances

She had no business interfering

[AnneGuedes]

She was out of order to impose herself on a family in that situation,  I think     ( without relevant information or remit  ) 

Social Work  isn't an emergency service  ...  it's not like a doctor,  or nurse, or fireman, stepping up to the plate in desperate circumstances

She had no business interfering

Absolutely. She took the initiative, al-right but she should have had the delicacy not to insist. And afterwards she wrote anonymous letters ! A shame.

[C.Edwards]

She was out of order to impose herself on a family in that situation,  I think     ( without relevant information or remit  ) 

Social Work  isn't an emergency service  ...  it's not like a doctor,  or nurse, or fireman, stepping up to the plate in desperate circumstances

She had no business interfering

Fair enough. I respect your opinion but I don't agree with it.

[John]

She should have presented herself to the GNR initially as they were in charge.  Well I assume they were ?    8-)(--)