Disabled parents fight to keep newborn at home
May 1, 2012 by Kristen
Filed under Police State
A disabled couple in Mississauga are fighting to keep their newborn son after social workers threatened to take the boy away unless he receives round-the-clock care from an “able-bodied attendant.”
Maricyl Palisoc and her partner, Charles Wilton, are the parents of a healthy month-old baby boy named William. Both parents have cerebral palsy, a disorder that limits their motor skills and slurs their speech, but has no effect on their cognitive abilities.
However, the Peel Children’s Aid Society is concerned about the couple’s ability to take care of their son and has expressed an intention to remove William from their home unless his parents secure 24-hour care from an able-bodied person.
The boy’s mother told CBC that she and her partner do not want to lose their son.
This is so wrong. Having a disability does NOT automatically mean that you are unfit to be a parent. My husband and I, who both have physical disabilities, are the proud parents of a health 11 month old and yes it can be a challenge BUT raising a child is a challenge for EVERYBODY regardless of physical ability.
I respectfully disagree. As a former social worker (yes, I have worked for the ‘big bad CAS’) and now a very ill woman, I can say that it would be completely unfair for me to burden society to help care for and pay for caring for my baby if I were to have one right now. It has nothing to do with a disability. But everything to do with whether the parens are *capable* of caring for a baby who as you all know demands your full-time attention-and many times puts such a terrible financial, emotional and physical strain on couples. Sorry guys, not buying the “but I loove my baby” – in my years as a CAS worker I never ever saw even one parent who didn’t ‘love’ their baby-none. Not all of us child-bearing people have the *right* to have a child – it is NOT a right, but a privilege.
jellybena, I am very sorry to hear that you are ill. But how would you like someone to come into your life and say you are unfit to make decisions regarding anything..including provide your comments on this article? You would be outraged Yes, there are different levels of CP. My best friend has a mild form of it. Caring for children is something she does and does well. Yes, as this couple’s friend has indicated a few things regarding bathing may need assistance, but basic necessities? Not an issue. I am a person without a disability and I have no ability to have a child. I have learned that when a parent ‘wants’ to be a parent & exhibits the love to do so, nature takes over. There are may able bodies persons who have children and cannot manage. Children do not come with instructions. Neither does life. You and I both know that very well. My blessings to these loving parents. If they are able to bring this precious life into the world and give him all the love he deserves…who the hell is anyone in this world to interfere???
I wish they didn’t remove William from their custody and instead help the parents in any way that they could. This doesn’t mean that if the parents are disabled they can’t raise the child properly.