‘A House Is Not a Home’* in the UK

POLICE REPORT PREGNANT WOMAN TO SOCIAL SERVICES OVER HALF-DECORATED HOME

A pregnant woman who invited a policewoman into her half- decorated home ended up being reported to social workers for being a potentially unfit mother. Mary Cooke, 27, was visited by police after she called 999 to report that she had nearly been run down by a speeding car. The officer did not mention that she was unhappy about the state of Mrs Cooke’s rented house, but after leaving wrote a memo to the social services.

Days later, Mrs Cooke received a letter from Staffordshire County Council, warning her of a potential ‘referral’ for her unborn child. In addition, the council contacted her midwife.

Last night, Mrs Cooke, a housewife who is 12 weeks’ pregnant with her first child, said: ‘The letter made me feel sick. I believe someone was judging me for decorating the house and I can’t believe it. I’m in the first stages of pregnancy. I’d never dream of bringing a child home to a house being decorated.

[Thanks to Travis Holte]
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*&#147A House Is Not a Home” is a classic pop song recorded by Dionne Warwick.

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4:01 pm on November 10, 2009