Decorating? Better not tell the police!

Pregnant woman reported to social services over half-decorated home - Telegraph

A pregnant woman has condemned police after they reported her to social services for being a potentially unfit mother because her home was half-decorated.


By Murray Wardrop
Published: 8:26AM GMT 10 Nov 2009


Mary Cooke: Pregnant woman reported to social services over half-decorated home
Mary Cooke Photo: EUGENE HENDERSON

Mary Cooke invited a policewoman into her house after she had dialled 999 to report a speeding car which nearly hit her outside her home in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffs.

However, the 27-year-old was left furious after she claims the officer raised concerns with the council’s children’s services department over the state of her property.

Mrs Cooke said she and her husband Peter are redoing the wallpaper at their semi-detached house and that she was “sickened” police had judged her on its appearance.

The first she knew of the officer’s concerns was several days later when she received a letter from Staffordshire County Council expressing fears for the wellbeing of her unborn child.

Mrs Cooke, who is 10 weeks' pregnant with her first baby, said: "The letter made me feel sick.

And the moral of this story is ...never let the police into your house even when you are doing them a favour.

There is a lot to be said for joined up government..it usually has a common purpose thread running through it...

I know that there are very vulnerable people in this land which need the protection of the law and help from Social Services, but reports like this do not build trust with the public and these institutions.

Instead of send letters, (funny, I seem to recall someone else having problems with writing letters today, who was that then?), from the children's department, why don't they offer some help in getting the house decorated!

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