I've been through a lot over the past few months, and I want to talk about something that’s not just affecting me but also many families going through similar struggles. I found myself in a situation where my family and I were placed into a system that's meant to support families in crisis — mother and baby units and family placements. Instead of bringing us together, this system is tearing my family apart.

I admit that I've made mistakes. In my youth, I dabbled in drugs, and I’ve battled with mental health issues. But it's precisely because of these challenges that I believe families like mine should receive compassionate and constructive help. Instead, the system used these mistakes to justify separating me from my partner of eight years, and making it impossible to be with my beautiful children, a three-year-old daughter and a five-month-old son. This experience drove me to a point where I nearly reached the brink, feeling broken as a man and a father.

These placements should be a place where families can heal and grow, not where they are assessed only for their shortcomings and broken apart. The system needs to be reformed to focus on mental health support, drug rehabilitation, and familial cohesion rather than punitive separation.

Statistics show that keeping families together, when safe, leads to better outcomes for children, including stability, mental wellness, and social development. According to a study by the Family Rights Group, family support that includes mental health care and dependency assistance leads to a 50% reduction in the need for children to be removed from their homes.

The love shared by families should be fostered, not fractured. There are programs and experts out there who advocate for a more compassionate approach, and I believe with the right policies, we can help families stay together and overcome their difficulties.

I ask for your support in calling on local authorities and government bodies to review and reform these processes. Let's ensure that every family receives the tailored support they need and deserve, providing resources for healing, rather than alienation.

Please sign this petition to stand with us for change, for better family support, and for a system that truly works for every family. Together, we can make a difference.