Rough sleeper gives birth to twins outside wealthiest Cambridge college

Methinks Jan4t was bored, so revived a thread for her own amusement as a means of insulting people.

Hopefully, the details will remain private because it really isn't anybody's business.

All the public knows is:

a) a woman, reportedly a homeless person, gave birth to twins 11 weeks prematurely outside Trinity College in Cambridge. An ambulance was called and she was taken to Rosie Maternity Hospital.

b) somebody started a fundraiser and raised over £20,000. This has now been put on hold.

c) Cambridge City Council was being criticised strongly on social media about the incident, so made a statement that the woman and her partner had been known to them, but that they had not used the accommodation. Nobody knows why not.

I have no doubt that there have been meetings to discuss the case, but the public has no right to have access to the minutes of the meetings, although it wouldn't surprise me if something is eventually leaked, which would be a shame. The woman and her new born children have a right to absolute privacy, not to have their lives scrutinised by prying and voyeuristic busybodies.

Janpt, you use the word ‘leftie’ as an abusive, dismissive way to describe people who have a different view of the world than you do. What word would you use to describe your own approach

Janpt - do you know that everyone with children or pregnant was on benefits before the children were conceived? Many will have had the children or conceived the children when they were in a better situation. Some may have fled violence, some might have been abandoned by the child's father, some may have been thrown out of their home by their parents, some may not be able to work because of illness or a child who needs special care. Yes some manage wonders but not everyone is in exactly the same situation. Universal credit takes time to kick in, and which one of us being without an income for 6 weeks would not end up in a difficult situation.
And the bedroom tax, I've known families affected by that, including families where a family member needs their own room because of medical reasons, and did you read about the woman who had a panic room installed because of the risk of violence to her, which was then counted as a bedroom, so the bedroom tax kicked in. It's not as if we have enough of the smaller houses for everyone to move into, and then do they have to move again when a child reaches the magic age when they need their own bedroom, or dies yes you'd be clobbered by the tax if this happened, and then again when an older child moves out, think of the disruption to people's lives having to do that. People are not housed in huge houses are they.
I'm sorry but you do seem to be judging who has a genuine need without knowing the full facts, I may be wrong and you know about everyone's situation though and if so I'm sorry. I think the percentage of 'feckless irresponsible' parents is probably a very small proportion of the whole.
But for sure children in such a situation are in genuine need even if the parents are not in what you might class genuine need, it is wrong to not help them because of what their parents may or may not have done.
Did anyone watch the dispatches programme on channel 4 Growing Up Poor: Britain's Breadline Kids, well worth a watch, about families in Cambridge.
Someone mentioned a relative who used to work at Menston, there is a book Voices from the Asylum: West Riding Pauper Lunatic Asylum about that Asylum, it makes for very upsetting reading. The rich of course had access to much better places. Many seem to have ended up in one because of general paralysis of the insane - this was caused by syphilis and women could be infected by a philandering husband - thank heavens for antibiotics.

JenniferEccles Well said Jennifer. to Anniebach simple answer to those who will not accept help. Stop benefits unless they make the effort to improve their situation. Why should we continue to support them when they just continue to claim benefits with no effort to try and help themselves. I get so angry at the way they just continue to have children they can't afford to feed and clothe themselves.
To all lefties waiting to have a go. This reply is NOT aimed at disabled claimants or those with a GENUINE need.

There is ALWAYS a back story to these headline grabbing stories.

The Left immediately pounce on any case like this and claim that whatever it is HAS to be the fault of the wicked uncaring Tories .

I also wonder why we never hear what eventually happens to cases like this, although of course we all know they will be housed and given benefits.

What kind of message does that send out to those working and paying their way in life, some of whom would dearly love to start a family?

Yes for people to ‘pick themselves up’ they need help but not
all will accept help

Equally Eloethan where have I said 'every man for himself, sink or swim'. There are different ways of showing compassion and helping people to help themselves is one of them. Constantly giving without asking for any evidence that a situation will change is not helping anyone. It is just taken for granted and nothing changes.

Janpat Please stop referring to me in such a sneering way.

It seems fairly clear that this woman has had difficulties of some sort - for one thing, she is described as "homeless". Are people automatically assuming that she has addiction/mental health issues and it was inevitable that she she neither sought nor received medical care and attention during her pregnancy and labour? That may well be the case but we don't actually know do we. You would think that a heavily pregnant woman, sleeping on the street or at least described as such, would arouse somebody's interest.

You make a lot of unfounded assumptions about me and seem to think I and other "lefties" - or indeed anyone who thinks society could be more progressive and compassionate - can be written off as talking rubbish. Your recent outburst:

"Why can you never show any praise for those who have by their own efforts risen from the bottom of society and can take pride in their achievements ? Constantly pitying people is not helpful. It would be better to show ways that they can help themselves and take pride in having done so"

is an example.

Where have I indicated that I don't admire people who, despite a difficult background, have nevertheless managed to achieve a great deal? Where have I said they should not take pride in their achievements?

I didn't realise it was so terrible to feel sad for a homeless woman who, for whatever reason, finds herself on the street in labour. And sometimes, in order for people to pick themselves up off the floor, they initially need some help. Or do you work on the "every man for himself, sink or swim" principle?

I think that Iam64 knows what she is talking about Janpt

You are making a political point Janpt.

Iam64 You have chosen your own interpretation of 'known to social services' rather than if she was known to them why did she not turn to them for help. I read that her and her partner had been offered accommodation and turned it down. I have not made any cold critical comments about this woman. You have chosen to ignore the comments I made about pitying people rather than helping them to help themselves. This is the whole problem with the Labour party. They just throw money at problems instead of dealing with the root cause. Thank goodness we have a Conservative government in charge rather that a Corbyn/Marxist one.

Janet - being "known to social services" doesn't mean you're a Bad Feckless Individual as you seem to be suggesting. For over 40 years I worked with many people "known to social services". I've some very positive memories of those years. Your suggestion that we lefties never celebrate those who make their lives work against the odds is total nonsense. I'm still in touch with some people, I first met as children - many of them doing brilliantly against all the odds.
Judgemental, cold, critical comments about the woman involved in this story help no one. I imagine that a Court order protecting these children has been made. Otherwise journalists would be following them and giving us daily reports about them and their parents.
Thanks to the family courts, they have much needed privacy

We don't want details, names, photos, anything intrusive, but it would be good to hear that the babies are doing well after their poor start to life and that they are all together in decent accommodation, and that this young woman is getting the support she obviously needs.

I do wish sometimes we’d get to hear how things turned out after the upsetting media headlines.

There is usually a back story to everything, that the general public is unaware of.

I imagine she has mental health issues jan as the council say that she did have housing, but her and her partner appeared to choose not to use it.

growstuff Eloethan The point is that there is more to the story than you know i.e. why was she known to social services ?
You show the usual lefty outrage about stories like this. Why can you never show any praise for those who have by their own efforts risen from the bottom of society and can take pride in their achievements ? Constantly pitying people is not helpful. It would be better to show ways that they can help themselves and take pride in having done so.

Janpt You have failed to make any point at all.

What point?

Thank you oldgimmerl I thought there would be more to this hence 'back story'. Point made !!

I delivered at 29 weeks and didn't even I know I was in labour.

We know there's a backstory and that this woman was known to the services.

Was the lady that delivered babies whilst homeless, do that because she has mental health issues and was not responsible for her actions? I assume she wasn't on drugs as a lot are, the nearest town to me they lie on the streets comotose.

Maybe she wanted to protest about the traffic in Cambridge city centre and thought of a cunning plan. She thought "I know what. I'll conceive twins and go and live on the streets. Then when I go into labour, I'll rush off the Trinity College and have the babies, rather than getting the bus, which takes at least half an hour." It all sounds very feasible to me.

Oh for heaven's sake - are you being serious? This woman, a rough sleeper, is in labour with twins and her first thought is to make a political point?

lemongroveI can't understand if she was in labour why she headed in the direction of Trinity College rather than a hospital or asked anyone to help her to get there as I'm sure they would. Was she trying to make a political point ?