Children at risk from stepdads [trigger warning for discussion of child abuse]

[kiwiana]

In the wake of Serenity Scott-Dinnington's death, we examine the safety of children raised by men who are not their real fathers. Sarah Harvey reports.

BABY SERENITY Scott-Dinnington died from brain injuries sustained during a violent incident at her home in Ngaruawahia 10 days ago. She was just six months old.

Now child advocates say that

Comments

[popehippo]

As a girl who was raised by a great stepdad who paid attention to my grades, what I got up to and who I dated after my abusive father dumped me and my mother, this has got to be one of the most disgusting things I've read in a while.

[velvet_tipping]

[phantom_chini]

"Um..." was basically my entire reaction to this article. That, and "But no..."

[peefy]

Ugh, seriously.

That's the problem with using a word like "virtually." It's a word commonly used by advertisers because it's a way of making a product sound amazing without guarantying the product will actually do anything the advertisers say it will.

It has no place in a discussion like this, and it's especially disgusting because they're using it in the exact same way.

[aflaminghalo]

"Smith said skills that were being taught to young mothers, such as how to care for their child and deal with issues, needed to be taught to both parents"

This is the only thing in the entire article that didn't make me go "Oh, really...".

[subluxate]

Same here.

[wrestlingdog]

Agreed.

[ladylothwen]

Yeah, how about no. Children should be raised by people who love them, care for them are involved in their lives and it shouldn't matter if their biologically related. Family isn't necessarily blood.