Wednesday 27 January 2010

Sing A Song of Freedom...

... a pocketful of joy...

Ben & Kerry now re-united at a mother-baby unit.

Kerry has unlimited, unsupervised access.

Mark has unlimited access to the them at the unit, but needs travel money to visit them, as it is an hour away.

Trying to arrange an IBCLC to see them in the unit, asap.

I'll keep you all posted.


"Today, Kerry will move into a mother and baby unit where the 17-year-old will be under constant surveillance - but that is undoubtedly the lesser of two evils for the couple, given that they feared they might lose custody of the child they fought so hard to keep."

(Note that unsupervised is different from surveillance. It means that Kerry that care for the baby within the unit and care for Ben, freely, whilst being observed. This is different from not being able to walk about with him, for instance, without another person standing right beside her. They will be observed, 24/7, but Kerry will be free to care for Ben properly.)

EDIT: Qualified IBCLC will see Ben and Kerry later on today. Many thanks to the wonderful IBCLCs in Ireland, who will be working together to ensure Kerry has the support she wants.

Donations to help support Ben & Kerry's lactation needs, can be sent directly to the Nursing Matters bank account. Details in a moment. Money to helps the charities and societies working to support Mark & Kerry and Ben can also be given. Please note that Mark thanks everyone for their suggested donations in helping his travel costs to visits Ben & Kerry, but respectively declines. As the father, he feels it is his responsibility to ensure he pays his own way... to visit his son. He will however accepts donations that support the infrastructure around them, and will pass monies on to the the various agencies and charities.

Nursing Matters banks at Santander, formally Abbey National.

Nursing Matters Sort Code: 09 01 27 Account Number: 24202431

IBAN: GB26 ABBY 0901 2724 2024 31

Cheques etc made payable to Nursing Matters to:

3 Barnsite Close, Rustington, LITTLEHAMPTON, BN16 3QH (West Sussex, England, UK)

If you wish any of the money to got to Nursing Matters, versus lactation support for Kerry & Ben, versus the other agencies supporting them (who are, for instance, paying their rent) please make that clear.

5 comments:

Suzanne said...

Oh what wonderful news, what about linking a fund for Mark and Kerry's facebook page as that has a lot of traffic.

Well done Morgan and congrats in the first positive step to getting Ben home Kerry and Mark.

Unknown said...

N'owt to do with me folks, just plain old common Irish sense.

Go Irish Social Services!!!

arwen_tiw said...

Oh thank heavens someone has some common sense! What wonderful news, and well done Irish Social Services for upholding Ben's right to his milk and finding a solution that supports his mother to parent him.

Feefee said...

Would it be appropriate at some stage to make a robust complaint to Irish SS about the severing of their failure to protect the breastfeeding relationship during the time he was in foster care? I believe he has been bottle fed and given a dummy. Not appropriate at all.

Morag said...

Wonderful news. :-)