A family who adopted a boy who was born with foetal alcohol syndrome are in limbo as they await the outcome of their plea for help in the British courts.
According to reports, the child was born in the UK and adopted at the age of two by the family who moved home to Dublin shortly afterwards.
His birth mother was a heroin and alcohol addict and the boy was born with a series of problems, including foetal alcohol syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and mood regulation disorder.
His adoption family have attempted to address his behavioural and mental issues over the last 8 years, including bringing him for occupational therapy, psychological assessment, play therapy and psychotherapy.
They say that despite their best efforts, the now 10-year-old’s issues are outside of anything that they can cope or help with.
They have travelled with their adopted son back to Poole in the UK where they adopted him and have ‘presented’ him to social services.
The parents say that the boy needs professional rehabilitation and were reluctant to let Irish Social Services deal with it in the event that he ended up lost in our flawed system.
A judge in Bournemouth has ruled that the case will in fact have to be dealt with in the Irish courts but while a suitable judge can be identified, the child is now in residential care in the UK.
This story is so terribly sad, and a nightmare, we are sure, for the family involved.
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