Adoption ban couple lodge appeal

The couple say they are good candidates

A couple have been barred from fostering after refusing to stop smacking their natural child and have appealed against the ban.

An adoption panel asked David and Heather Bowen from Taunton to reconsider using physical discipline towards their daughter Emma, nine.

The pair refused and were blacklisted over their "behaviour management".

The couple said they thought they had been good candidates and could not understand the decision.

Special needs

Mr Bowen, aged 42, said: "I am a parent governor at a local school, my wife works for the school parent teacher association, has been a special needs careers advisor and now works in the school. We both assist with children's work at our local church.

"Based on the evidence presented to the council, we cannot understand why we are unsuitable and it seems that we have been excluded on the basis that we physically chastise our birth child, in accordance with our beliefs and UK law."

Linda Barnett, head of children's services at Somerset County Council, said: "In assessing parents' suitability for fostering we take into account a range of factors which we gather from extensive assessment and discussion with the potential carers.

"In common with most other local authorities, Somerset has a foster carer's agreement which describes our belief about parenting.

"Where carers have a very strong personal belief that differs from the foster carer agreement, it is potentially unfair to expect them to operate to a set of guidelines which conflicts with this.

"Mr and Mrs Bowen have lodged an appeal and we are in discussion with them about the hearing of that appeal."