Runner may I ask that YOU look at your last ten posts?
Do so mate with an open mind, with the question in your heart did I want to say that.
I try avoiding you, hard, you come across as a bigot, if not a bigot very close to it.
And you do so from the shelter of a God I once Worshiped and followed.
He never had the hatred in his heart your every post expresses, anti workers, union, Labor and society, in almost every post.
Are you even a little aware, if I am wrong,you are right, God exists, you defame half his children?
And do you think God would support your view we all are responsible for the problems in Foster care?
The loving Foster parents that turn our thousands of well nourished Children? even leaders of Churches both nourished and nourishing?
We do well in OLO,we contain words and thoughts about just a few, that would do great harm if let loose.
You however run free, insulting who you like, are you so sure Sir your self confidence is not miss placed?
Continued

I very firmly believe every problem can be fixed.
That in dispute resolution we seek achievable results, no certainty's are possible.
First define the problem.
Then look for answers, knowing the best out come will not please every one.
I see the problems this way, our Children are the seeds for tomorrow, not our property but a gift to us.
And that Children in Foster care are no less,but often need more help.
I can put no trust in DOCs, and see Country wide, SOME who seem more interested in the cash than the kids in care.
I could not support any form of institutionalizing Child care.
So what do we do?
Trained accountable experts to randomly visit every child in care.
Random audits of every DOCs office and action.
ALL DOCs heads and district managers on performance based contracts time limited.
One day I will expand on a thought public service can work, if no job is secure, and performance is monitored.

Belly,
Thanks for the reminder of the name. I looked her up and got her last post up. The thread, her thread, was about OLO rules and moderation, etc. She did a naughty thing and Graham suspended her for a few days. Apparently she decided not to come back as she did not want to further erode her relationship with DOCS.

I regarded her as very experienced and knowledgable about foster care, so i relate one thing she said that may interest you.

She felt there is always good and bad people so she concentrated on the system rather than individuals involved in foster care.

Unfortunately we will never entirely eliminate bad parenting, but we can try our best to reduce it. How we do that is the big question.

The Irish experience with institutions and foster care reflects poorly on relying on religion as a safeguard.

Banjo yes thanks for the memory's.
I miss her but in truth, and I told her, she needed to be more careful.
I know we have good and bad in any thing, and underline Church is not the answer.
But considering the toll, double figures in deaths each year, much more in harm, mental and life long some times.
We fail, we should be able to do much better, if only we would stop closing our eyes to the problems roots.
Poor parenting leads some times, to the same from the next generation.
Cash, not kids drives SOME carers, DOCs has both the best, a minority, and the worst working there.
Public service s no longer able to deliver, every effort for change is stamped on.
I know of bright eyed little kids being shouted at all day.
Andi f I did some thing about it?
DOCs first act would not be to look at the problem but inform the perpetrators who complained.

Belly>> I measure us by how we fix such issues.<<

It is about money, it is about priorities, it is about votes.

Look at how quickly the two parties adopted "Green Protocols" because the electorate was becoming aware of green through the global media focus on green. Green news items are a daily mention in the media.

If the media reported the plight of these defenseless and abandoned little souls on a daily basis, things would change, it’s simplistic but it is true. If there are votes in it the bastards will borrow money to do it, like the BILLION spent on sea faring economic refugees. Put $500 million into the DOCS budget and watch duty of care come back to the system.

My last thought on the subject would be that we have born here refugees, some of them have been here for 40,000 years, but we spend on strangers.

Sonofglion I could throw ten other red herrings in to the mix.
Yes your claim about refugees is in part true.
I saw during Howard's rule, something most including Labor would not see.
Like it or not many do think we are being had,economic refugees, holes drilled in boats so a sinking can be arranged, a host of issues.
Dare I ?
Can we be honest?
A couple of High profile Muslim Representatives blackening us, turned many against boat people.
Yes I know not all are like that and by far not all are Muslim, but many do not.
This issue is not neglected.
It is poorly served by those meant to over see it.
We need a system that has checks and balances.
SOG we need people who have never seen, or lived with the worst, to look at the poor little kids.
Links could record a thousand deaths.
Ten thousand crimes against kids.
And more that that amount of blunders by DOCs.
Not good enough.