Sarah and Nick working late on an emergency last minute issue where a mother and baby have been left on the street with nowhere to go. Emergency out of hours referral to children's services made.

The social worker's response was to offer to take the child into care.

Despite some to and fro they refuse point blank to do anything to support mother and child. So we have provided hotel accommodation for over the weekend given the hour with vouchers to meet their needs. This is until we can deliver a challenge on Monday.

Never cease to be disgusted at the contempt, particularly emergency duty teams show for family life in these instances and the assumption that the only thing they will offer is to remove a child from their mother's care. With no real lawful basis to do so.

A section 20 offer rather - delivered with brute force and as the only option. There is no informed choice in that situation and the law makes clear that children are best off with their families wherever possible.

This is the scenario that makes us here especially angry.

There is no discussion about the voluntary basis of such an arrangement. No consideration of the needs of that 6 month old in terms of feeding and the need for their mother. Nothing.

"There is nothing we can do" they say.

Never ceases to make rage.