Post by Teddy Bear on Jul 24, 2007 18:56:02 GMT
It takes a court to explain to the BBC that their attempt to air a 'freak' show under the subterfuge of serious programming was somewhat immoral. The BBC explained their motive as "The BBC said the episode was intended to inform the public about 'concurrent planning', where a child is placed with foster parents with the possibility of adoption while at the same time assessing whether the mother is fit to parent."
Of course, 'concurrent planning' is something everybody wants to know about.
Of course, 'concurrent planning' is something everybody wants to know about.
Judge pulls plug on BBC's 'invasive' adoption film
By OLINKA KOSTER
Last updated at 22:19pm on 23rd July 2007
The BBC has been forced to abandon plans to air a documentary about a mentally impaired young mother giving up her two-year-old daughter for adoption.
The half-hour programme was to be shown last week. But a High Court judge ruled it would be a 'massive invasion' of the 18-year-old's privacy.
Mr Justice Eady's decision was made despite the corporation having obtained consent from the mother herself, her social worker and the adoption agency to show the BBC1 programme.
He said 'no rational person' would think it in the best interests of the teenager - who has an IQ of only 63 - for the documentary to be shown, as suggested by the BBC.
The ruling is a further embarrassment for the corporation, which is still reeling from the fiasco of its insult to the Queen and revelations that it misled licence-fee payers over phonein competitions.
The young mother - identified only as 'T' - is said to be disappointed that the programme was cancelled only a week before the series aired.
The matter was taken to the High Court after the intervention of the Official Solicitor, Alastair Pitblado, whose duty it is to represent those deemed to lack the capacity to manage their own affairs.
A psychiatrist who examined the teenager confirmed she suffered from a mental disorder and mental impairment and was thus unable to give her informed consent to the programme's makers.
Granting an injunction stopping the BBC from broadcasting anything that would identify the teenager, the judge said she was 'an extremely vulnerable woman with poor coping strategies who is often overwhelmed by problems' and was prone to self-harm.
"Her involvement in the documentary should be considered as simply one more such problem," he said.
"In my opinion, T is less able than the large majority of people to cope with the consequences of traumatic events, of whatever sort, and exposure to any form of trauma, including that of the documentary being shown, is likely to provoke emotional and self-harming behaviours similar to those she typically exhibits at such times."
The programme would have been part of a five-day documentary series called Family Wanted, portraying different aspects of adoption and fostering.
The BBC said the episode was intended to inform the public about 'concurrent planning', where a child is placed with foster parents with the possibility of adoption while at the same time assessing whether the mother is fit to parent.
T's daughter was placed with foster parents while the relationship between mother and daughter could be assessed with a view to going back to live with her.
When it was decided this was not going to work, the child was adopted. The programme included footage of 'intimate' scenes, including T's 'tearful and distressing' goodbye to her daughter.
Explaining his decision, the judge added: "I believe, having had extensive experience in working for the Family Court, it is inevitable that, once the documentary is shown, T will be recognised in her own neighbourhood and will be exposed to criticism, hostility and abuse.
"The broadcast itself would constitute quite simply a massive invasion of T's privacy and autonomy, and would undermine her dignity as a human being."
A BBC spokesman said last night: "The court has now determined that broadcast of material identifying T should not go ahead and the BBC, of course, accepts that decision."
By OLINKA KOSTER
Last updated at 22:19pm on 23rd July 2007
The BBC has been forced to abandon plans to air a documentary about a mentally impaired young mother giving up her two-year-old daughter for adoption.
The half-hour programme was to be shown last week. But a High Court judge ruled it would be a 'massive invasion' of the 18-year-old's privacy.
Mr Justice Eady's decision was made despite the corporation having obtained consent from the mother herself, her social worker and the adoption agency to show the BBC1 programme.
He said 'no rational person' would think it in the best interests of the teenager - who has an IQ of only 63 - for the documentary to be shown, as suggested by the BBC.
The ruling is a further embarrassment for the corporation, which is still reeling from the fiasco of its insult to the Queen and revelations that it misled licence-fee payers over phonein competitions.
The young mother - identified only as 'T' - is said to be disappointed that the programme was cancelled only a week before the series aired.
The matter was taken to the High Court after the intervention of the Official Solicitor, Alastair Pitblado, whose duty it is to represent those deemed to lack the capacity to manage their own affairs.
A psychiatrist who examined the teenager confirmed she suffered from a mental disorder and mental impairment and was thus unable to give her informed consent to the programme's makers.
Granting an injunction stopping the BBC from broadcasting anything that would identify the teenager, the judge said she was 'an extremely vulnerable woman with poor coping strategies who is often overwhelmed by problems' and was prone to self-harm.
"Her involvement in the documentary should be considered as simply one more such problem," he said.
"In my opinion, T is less able than the large majority of people to cope with the consequences of traumatic events, of whatever sort, and exposure to any form of trauma, including that of the documentary being shown, is likely to provoke emotional and self-harming behaviours similar to those she typically exhibits at such times."
The programme would have been part of a five-day documentary series called Family Wanted, portraying different aspects of adoption and fostering.
The BBC said the episode was intended to inform the public about 'concurrent planning', where a child is placed with foster parents with the possibility of adoption while at the same time assessing whether the mother is fit to parent.
T's daughter was placed with foster parents while the relationship between mother and daughter could be assessed with a view to going back to live with her.
When it was decided this was not going to work, the child was adopted. The programme included footage of 'intimate' scenes, including T's 'tearful and distressing' goodbye to her daughter.
Explaining his decision, the judge added: "I believe, having had extensive experience in working for the Family Court, it is inevitable that, once the documentary is shown, T will be recognised in her own neighbourhood and will be exposed to criticism, hostility and abuse.
"The broadcast itself would constitute quite simply a massive invasion of T's privacy and autonomy, and would undermine her dignity as a human being."
A BBC spokesman said last night: "The court has now determined that broadcast of material identifying T should not go ahead and the BBC, of course, accepts that decision."
