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Friday, November 21, 2008, 12:00
The decision was made in an attempt to protect children in care from the dangers of passive smoking. After January 2010, children in Redbridge will not be placed with carers who smoke, while current carers who smoke will be given help to quit.
Would such a decision be welcomed in Dorset? The Western Gazette went onto the streets of Bridport to find out.
Retired chemist Jim Holmes, aged 71, of East Street, Bridport, said: "I think it is unfair to interfere in people's personal circumstances. It is limiting the system, by stopping children being fostered by perfectly good foster parents.
"As long as the parents do not smoke over the children, it makes no odds. It is about common sense. People who want to foster should be allowed to."
Audrey Smith, 51, a retired playgroup leader of Shipton Lane, Burton Bradstock, said: "I feel that carers should not smoke, but the people who foster are so hardworking and kind, so it is hard to penalise them if they have the odd vice. I do not think I could do it, so I admire them a lot.
"There should be other criteria the councils are looking at. I would imagine there is a shortage of people coming forward to foster."
Sales assistant Jackie Ackerman, 43, of Bettiscombe said: "It is not an issue if the parents do not smoke around the children.
"The home environment is paramount and councils should not discriminate just for smoking. It is more important to have people to foster than worry about that. It is more about what they can offer the children.
"Fostering and adopting are important in providing someone an upbringing to be good citizens and give them time and love, which they may not get otherwise."
Liz Vowles, 45, an accounts supervisor, of Main Street, Chideock, said: "I am a smoker so I do not see any reason why they should not be allowed to foster. I think it is okay. It should be someone who wants to look after the child regardless.
"I think smoking in the house might not be so good, but then in a lot of families both of the parents smoke and they cannot do anything about that.
"Fostering is a hard process and this puts more obstacles in the way."
West Dorset district and Bridport town councillor and nurse Karl Wallace, 46, of Main Street, Bothenhampton, has adopted three children from one family.
He said: "It is a good scheme, as foster carers who smoke are polluting the people in their care's lungs.
"They should not do it in front of children. People may say they smoke outside, but what happens when it is raining?
"Smoking is a negative trait and reinforces the message to children that smoking is okay. At a young age, they can see it as glamorous. It is the same for drinking and people should not drink around their children either. I can see that as the next step coming in.
"As a foster carer, you are a role model for those children and need to show them positive experiences while they are in your care."
"Knife crime is a scourge which claims too many lives and ruins countless others." James Brokenshire, shadow home affairs minister
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