Like most parents, Darren* and Louise* want the best for their children. But the couple, who have learning disabilities, struggled to cope with the challenges of parenting three boys. As a result, all three children were taken into care. The couple's situation is not unusual in that parents with learning disabilities or learning difficulties are far more likely to have children removed.
This is rarely because of abuse, explains Lara Burnett, a project manager with learning disabilities charity Mencap. More often children are taken into care due to unintentional neglect or the perceived risk of this. Meanwhile, Burnett has no doubt prejudice and misconceptions about parents' abilities also play a part.
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