A couple who were told they could not become foster parents because they are vegetarians have persuaded their county council to think again. Dolly and Paul Saunders from West Sussex were first told they could not be considered because they would not give a child meat to eat at home.
But the county council has now said its guidelines are being revised and the Saunders' application reconsidered.
Mrs Saunders said she did not understand what the fuss was about.
She said: "If we were to have a child living with us and to be cooking veggie food for ourselves and then presenting them with a different plate of food, that's going to make them feel uncomfortable straight away.
"By allowing them to eat meat at school and when they go to friends and if we went out to a restaurant, we don't mind paying for them to have meat.
"I really didn't understand that it was as big an issue as they were making it." 'Inflexible'
The couple, both 43, hoped fostering would provide company for their 10-year-old son Jake.
They filled in a one-page application form and said they did not eat meat, although they would be happy for the child to eat it outside the home.
A spokesman for the council initially said the problem lay not in the couple's vegetarianism but in their refusal to serve meat at home.
A later statement said its guidelines were being revised and the Saunders' application could be reconsidered.
(bbc news)
Far better for a child to remain in an unsafe home situation than to not eat meat for a while? I don't understand how someone could have thought that. At least they are now changing the rules.
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The couple, both 43, hoped fostering would provide company for their 10-year-old son Jake.
That is TOTALLY a wrong reason to get involved in foster care. That statement alone should disqualify them....
Fostering is about caring and looking after a kid that has been through major trauma, not finding a playmate for little Jake. So If Jake doesn't like the kid, do they send him back and get another?
Foster kids are real people, not a fucking pet.. asshat
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Vegetarian - Old Indian word for "Bad Hunter"
Seems to me they should've just left that off the application. Worst case scenario they could have a special shelf in the fridge for their kid and he could stock up on lunch meat burritos etc..
I am the only vegetarian in my family and it doesn't cause any problems, I just use meat-substitutes for my plate. If the rest of the family wants those greasy chicken patty things, I have a morningstar chik patty on my bun.. they have spaghetti with meat sauce, I set aside part of the sauce and may add the boca italian not-sausage to mine..
I think the state is being a bit unreasonable, but the couple could have been a bit easier to deal with as well.
I don't think the state is being unreasonable here...the article mentions that the regulation is being revised. It's probably just a rule that's been left in and is archaic and outdated.
Vegetarians refused foster care
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