Suffer Little Children [from Private Eye ]
SEAN had been passed between foster homes and relatives eight times before being returned to his violent father just before the pandemic. During the last lockdown, neighbours called police after hearing screaming, not for the first time, and he was rushed to hospital. His face was black and blue, his ears bleeding. Medics counted 63 different injuries. He was four.
Now eight, he has been undergoing intensive therapy to help him and his loving adoptive parents learn how to best manage his complex trauma, which often explodes into violence. But six weeks ago, that therapy stopped suddenly when the government failed to automatically renew the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, a lifeline which has, in the past decade, helped nearly 53,000 children and their families as they take on the burden of responsibility for those who have had the worst start in life.
Sean’s parents await a restart of the therapy following the government’s late announcement that it will continue. However, the amount per child has been cut by a minimum 40 percent, so even if they get through the coming weeks while councils complete a hefty backlog of stalled funding applications, all of which must be resubmitted, they are terrified of what the future might hold.
Sean’s adoptive father, Michael (names have been changed), said: “Sean started to unravel as soon as it stopped. His violence at home has increased and he has been hitting out at teachers and other children. He is not eating properly, he’s bouncing off the walls. It is impossible for people with regular families to understand the impact of early life trauma, neglect and abuse and just how vital this therapy is. He has worked so hard to get this far, it is frightening how quickly he has regressed. It is not overstating it to say that his life will be ruined without it and we may not survive as a family.”
Now eight, he has been undergoing intensive therapy to help him and his loving adoptive parents learn how to best manage his complex trauma, which often explodes into violence. But six weeks ago, that therapy stopped suddenly when the government failed to automatically renew the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund, a lifeline which has, in the past decade, helped nearly 53,000 children and their families as they take on the burden of responsibility for those who have had the worst start in life.
Sean’s parents await a restart of the therapy following the government’s late announcement that it will continue. However, the amount per child has been cut by a minimum 40 percent, so even if they get through the coming weeks while councils complete a hefty backlog of stalled funding applications, all of which must be resubmitted, they are terrified of what the future might hold.
Sean’s adoptive father, Michael (names have been changed), said: “Sean started to unravel as soon as it stopped. His violence at home has increased and he has been hitting out at teachers and other children. He is not eating properly, he’s bouncing off the walls. It is impossible for people with regular families to understand the impact of early life trauma, neglect and abuse and just how vital this therapy is. He has worked so hard to get this far, it is frightening how quickly he has regressed. It is not overstating it to say that his life will be ruined without it and we may not survive as a family.”
