McGrath's point of social workers either giving up or being told to "back off" has personal meaning to me. Back before the current story of sexual abuse by priests was on the front page every day--in the 80s--my mother was a guidance counsellor who was listening to a student chronicle how a very popular teacher had been touching her. She very carefully and deftly helped the student come to terms with the experience and finally to raise the case. Well, since this was a popular teacher, and since guidance counsellors were really not supposed to "counsel", *she* was the one set upon by the administration.

The girl's case went to court, and by the time the trial day came, Mom had remembered and looked up another student who had had the same thing with the same teacher. That other girl was sitting front and center in the courtroom at the trial, and the perp confessed on the stand. The teacher was allowed to quietly resign and promise not to teach again.

Mom, in the mean time, didn't have it so easy. It took several years of hearings and untimately, litigation before Mom's case of employment harassment was finally settled. And then, of course, since she had embarassed the "powers that be", retribution followed. They hounded her at every step, and all but made it impossible for her to work. They wrote special rules relating to her position (that were known within the county with her name, since they were really meant for her, only). There was another case, and they finally "retired" her to home with a full year's pay, but please stay out of the schools. The schools lost a valuable employee, and wasted tens of thousands (or more?) of scarce education money in a process contrary to its mission.

I am sure there are many more cases of dedicated people looking out for their charges and getting punished for it. So when one wants to jump on a social worker, I suggest a moment of reflection as to what might be their situation. Of course, this whole dynamic should be structurally changed.

We will keep reading numerous stories like this until 1) we all accept that a child is not the property of its parents or parent pretenders, but is a member of the whole village; 2) we genuinely and thoroughly endorse and support social workers and interveners in our hearts and with our wallets rather than just giving lip service to the sentiment; and 3) guarantee that all children are born wanted and grow up loved, fed, clothed, sheltered, medically cared for (including mentally), educated, free from abuse, and not forced into soldierhood. Even then, there will still be a few instances where the situation fell through the cracks. But when these conditions are met, they will diminish to one in a billion, rather than one in a thousand.

And you are not going to hear any such sentiments from those who worship at the altar of the marketplace which the believe solves all problems. That is why I am a Liberal.