Naming and Shaming - Media release 14/02/05

Parenting classes are the answer to ‘families from hell' says Home Office.

“Lets just examine this statement for one moment”, says Pam Knight, Director of Development and Communications at BIBIC (British Institute for Brain injured Children). BIBIC is a national charity with an excellent track record of working with children with behavioural difficulties as a result of learning and communication difficulties such as ADHD, autism and Asperger syndrome.

“When the Home Office talks about these ‘families from hell' they are at times referring to families with children with these conditions. One mother recently told me that she has to move house as her neighbour keeps referring to her son as ‘psychotic and a menace to society'. Her son's crime is that he has autism. The phraseology used is hard and aggressive nowadays - zero-tolerance is becoming the mantra - and that is catching. Children with these tough difficulties are being tarred with the same brush, and without changes in the language used, will continue to suffer this fate,” claims Knight.

This Thursday, BIBIC is launching a new campaign - Ain't Misbehavin' - that aims to highlight the plight of these children and families who they believe are in danger of falling foul of the law through no fault of their own.

“Families with children suffering from conditions such as ADHD, autism and Asperger syndrome are telling us they are afraid of returning to the ‘bad old days' when they were accused of bad parenting and it was their fault their child had ADHD or was on the autistic spectrum. We should be beyond this now. Sweeping statements from the home office like this provoke sweeping reactions from the public and that is something we should try to avoid at all costs.

All we ask is that this group of children be properly considered. Parenting orders may help some problem families, but please consider this, if their child has a condition such as ADHD, autism, Asperger syndrome or any one of the other social, communication and learning disorders that can result in behavioural problems then that child will need help and intervention. The parents can't do it on their own,” pleads Knight.

If you would like to read more about the campaign or would like to be involved in raising awareness email behaviour@bibic.org.uk or visit their website at www.bibic.org.uk.

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