Burning Issue: Should obese couples be refused the opportunity to adopt children?

Published on Monday 12 January 2009 21:14

Yes KIM CHECCHETTO Adoptive parent

MY HUSBAND and I had to give up smoking when we started our adoption process. We were told we would not be able to adopt if we didn't quit – not just because it's harmful, but also that we had a "duty of care" to be with them for as long as possible.

In giving birth, parents don't have to lose weight, stop smoking or drink less, but many do. And when you adopt, you have to make up for the loss of birth parents too; they call adopters the "forever family" – and you make that promise as best you can.

Although we could argue the greater risk between smoking and obesity, can we really "weigh up" the possibilities of subjecting any child to further loss?

Of course it is fair to restrict an adopter on the grounds of valid medical concerns, obesity or otherwise.

If we've learned anything from the recent horrors surrounding child care, it's got to be that problems come from the agenda on "fairness" for the adults and not "fairness" for the children.

Perhaps the debate is not "should adoptive people be refused on the grounds of weight?" – but should adopted children be given anything less than parents who will do anything they can for them?" There is no price too great in helping a child to trust again. It isn't about parents, but about children who need their adoptive parents to be there for them as they grow up.

In the end, it wasn't about smoking; it was about how much we wanted to be parents – and we found we would do whatever it took for the brave and beautiful daughters we've been blessed with.

No

SUSANNAH GILBERT

Press officer, Big Matters, obesity support and information website

WHILE the needs of a child must always be paramount, for any family to be turned down for adoption is a huge disappointment. People are aware of the long-term health problems of being overweight. However, is the increased risk of potential future health problems alone cause enough to turn down families?

Over the years, adoption and fostering rules have had to evolve to meet the needs of the modern "family", thereby offering the chance to many people previously excluded from the criteria to be considered as suitable parents.

The reality is that as a nation we are changing. Statistics show that over half the population is overweight and the percentage is constantly rising. The government is trying to deal with the issue through various programmes, such as the latest Change4Life , but these are long-term strategies and there is no "quick fix".

It will take years, possibly decades, to try to redress the balance on the weight problem for this country. In the meantime, what is going to happen to the children who need adoptive parents?

If people with a high BMI are automatically excluded this will drastically reduce the number of prospective families available to the adoption services over the coming years, causing even more pressure on the agencies and fewer children able to be placed.

The adoption service is already under pressure and plays a valuable role in placing children, but perhaps needs to look to the future. Our nation is changing and with this the needs both of children seeking families and of potential parents.