[user104658]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

Why are you making reference to Tower Hamlets being inept as opposed to anywhere else?

Suffering?... Not being fed bacon is NOT suffering by anyones standards, this 'case' is at best a joke and at worst evidence of how racism is now an accepted norm in society so much so it is front and centre in the times.

I still have to disagree with this Kizzy. I can accept that it being turned into "big news" (when it should really be an entirely private thing) is probably an agenda at work, however, as for the case itself... being selective about where a 5 year old child is placed in a foster setting is in no way "racism". On top of all of the other uprooting, anxiety, confusion and trauma that a young child would be feeling at a time like that, culture shock is not something to just throw into the mix "because in an ideal world it would be fine". The fact of the matter is, it WOULD be a strange and unfamiliar environment for a child to suddenly find themself in, and it could cause untold damage even if the foster carers had the best intentions in the world.

I'm not saying that it should only be "like for like" but I do think that if a fostering family has ANY strict religion, culture or belief then they can only really foster children who come from that background. Be that Muslims, Christians, Atheists, whatever. That's not to say that religion in itself should be a barrier but only where it's flexible - i.e. a "more modern" Muslim household who are prepared to accept and accomodate a child from a Christian background (by celebrating christmas with them, allowing them to eat the food they like, etc.) and that goes for any fostering family. It would be JUST as much a problem if a "staunchly Atheist" family was to foster a Christian or Muslim child and start telling them that they don't allow any religious imagery / belief / celebration in their house... for example. I would fully expect an atheist foster family to facilitate a Muslim child in observing their religious celebrations and occasions.

So it's not about this family being Muslim. Its about ensuring that terrified, anxious children who have already experienced untold upheaval and upset aren't thrown into situations even further removed from their usual life.