Justice for Melissa

Melissa has now been in care for 17 months!

On the 4th April 2011 Melissa, aged 11 was taken temporarily into care at her mother's wishes to keep her safe from their anti social neighbours and allowing her mother Linda to find a school residential placement for her eldest Autistic son who has Classic Autism. Melissa also has a form of Autism – Asperger Syndrome. Linda’s eldest son was finally awarded a place and the neighbours had been moved on. It was now safe for Melissa to return home. Unfortunately Melissa was not returned home.

Local Social Services decided Melissa should remain in foster care and allowed Linda only 2 hours a month supervised access to Melissa in the local Social Services offices. Linda has never been accused of harming her daughter in any way and indeed her youngest son still lives at home with her.

Linda’s eldest son Matthew was diagnosed with Classic Autism aged 2 and Melissa was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome aged 2 1/2.

Having one child with Autism is extremely challenging but to have two children with it is even harder. Linda has constantly strived to provide the best possible care, education and services for her children. Linda’s children mean the world to her and she is a fantastic, loving, caring mother to all her children. She is constantly visiting Matthew, aged 13, at his residential school and also cares for her youngest son Sam at home. Linda is devastated by these events and Melissa wants and needs her mum.

It is now at the point whereby despite all Linda’s best efforts Social Services are looking to place Melissa in long term foster care against her mother’s wishes and take away her parental rights. Melissa’s Autism has not been taken account of at all and a real understanding of Autism and how it affects, particularly our vulnerable children in every day life.

We want to help Linda get Melissa back home where she belongs. What child should be taken away from their loving, caring family which is all they have ever known and suddenly told they will not be going home and only allowed supervised visits with their mother?

The world of Children’s Services remains a very secret closed world. Social workers have the powers to remove children very easily. This is happening in many other families throughout the United Kingdom, families who like Linda love & care for their children yet one word from a Social Worker and they are whisked away and their lives turned upside down.

Please let's stop this happening now. Let's bring Melissa home to her family.