Social worker tells of challenge in finding family to adopt boys from ‘Polish world’ of mother

A social worker has told a family court judge of the difficulties she faces trying to find adopters who meet the cultural and language needs of two boys taken from the care of their Polish mother.

She told Judge Sarah Lynch there are three Polish speaking families in Britain who would contemplate adopting two siblings.

The social worker said she might consider adopters living in Poland.

Judge Lynch said the boys, who had lived with their mother in Leeds, had in effect been growing up in a “Polish world”.

Detail of the case has emerged in a written ruling on the boys’ case by Judge Lynch following a private family court hearing.

Social workers raised concern about the boys, who are both under the age of five, being neglected by their mother.

Judge Lynch, who is based in Leeds, concluded that the boys had to be placed for adoption.

The judge said the children could not be identified. But she said they had lived with their mother in Leeds.

“These boys are Polish by heritage and were in effect growing up in a Polish world, albeit in the UK,” said the judge in her ruling.

“The social worker was clear that she was committed to finding a family who would meet all of the children’s needs including their cultural and language needs.”

Judge Lynch added: “She says the local authority would initially consider carers who are Polish in origin and those who have a family connection or have lived in Poland for a considerable amount of time.

“A search nationally shows there are three families who are Polish-speaking and who would consider a sibling set of two.

“Equally the social worker was very open to assessing any family identified in Poland.”

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