Today, outside Unity House at Salford Civic Centre, parents who have had their children removed by Salford City Council staged an awareness demonstration with signs reading 'Children are being stolen from loving families and sold by local councils to fill their supply and demand', and 'Don't you want to know what's going on in the system?'...
They stood in the rain all afternoon telling anyone who would listen about their experiences and what they see as an unjust system.
Katie Jane said, it was "the social worker's word against mine" in a case that saw her son taken from her for alleged physical abuse, which she obviously heavily disputes, while her daughter was fast-tracked for adoption...
"There were no court orders provided, my human rights weren't explained to me and I've had no physical contact with my son" she added "He keeps telling me how much he misses me and wants to come home. I'm the only parent he's really had...My daughter has been placed with adoptive parents but there's been no final custody so I'm trying to oppose that. The social workers are refusing to give me any information about her...
"They tried saying I was abused as a kid, which I wasn't, and that I had a bad upbringing...but it consisted of holidays abroad, and going to opera, ballet and theatre" she explained "I had a pretty rich upbringing but because I put myself in care as a teenager I was seen as a prime target."
Katie Jane said that since losing her children she had tried to kill herself several times... "It's not something I'm ashamed of, having gone through that..."
With her on the demonstration was a young lad who was adopted and finally, today, was contacted by his biological siblings; Roland, whose family had been through the system; Dave who claimed his daughter was victimised by social services; and Stuart, who had numerous mental health and drug issues but has now sorted out his life...
"Me and my ex-wife had our kids removed in 2016, and they split my children and step-child up; my youngest daughter is in foster care and my son they are trying to adopt out" he explained "I've been to court to try and get them back either to my ex-wife or me but they are refusing, with no reasons given. They just bring out the past, but I can't do anything about what I did in the past...all I can do is try to make a better future...
"...But it's like a kangaroo court, they don't need any evidence, just hearsay, and the judge just believes everything" he added "With my criminal record they'll make it look like it was yesterday to make me look worse than I am. They over-exaggerate and throw things in that aren't even true...I am still fighting for my children and also to change it for future parents..."
Also outside the Civic Centre was Kyle, who, when younger, had been in care, together with his wife. After his wife's mum passed away their children were taken into care...
"The couple are now separated and social services are trying to play one off against the other" explained Katie Jane "The court case is on 25th September and we'll be outside court to support Kyle."
Indeed, the group is to continue making a stand outside Salford Council HQ tomorrow (Friday) and next week until the court case, with networking in Victoria Park over the weekend...
"What I'm fighting for isn't for me it's for my kids in the future, because kids who have been in care at any point in their life become prime targets when they have children" Katie Jane said "I'm only 23 but I don't want my grand-babies being taken away. It's a constant supply, putting kids in care and then it happens to their kids as well; a perfect supply chain.
"We're not doing this for the parents, we're doing this for the kids, because kids are being hurt" she added "Even if there is a risk, social services should be coming into the house and offering to help the families, teaching them, not removing the children because that's the cheapest option and the one that brings in the most revenue. They do ask you to put friends and family down as potential adopters but they will dig into their lives, find something slightly wrong and will cancel it."
The Salford Star certainly knows of instances where this has happened, been challenged and overturned. The demonstration is hoping to bring such issues to light...
"We're not hassling anyone, we're just stood there" said Katie Jane "If anyone wants to know anything they can ask us questions. I wouldn't say this is a protest more an awareness raiser, like a stand.
"We're not all fighting for our kids to be brought back to us now, we're fighting for a better system for our kids in the future" she concluded "Because it's not right what's going on, it's really not..."
* Salford Council does not respond to enquiries from the Salford Star so unfortunately we cannot get a comment from the authority...