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Discrimination
juniorb
October 23, 2018 14:39
I've been a single male adopter since 2006. I adopted my son in 2007. This is considered a successful adoption. In this time I've never encountered any bigotry & people have always been very positive. Until I recently went to a job interview with the Football Association. A week later I received a document in regards to the interview & a statement from the case officer who had conducted the interview & in it I was shocked to read the following comments. "One might question Louis's or any single man's motivation to adopt" I was shocked by these comments & questioned why he should make these comments based on the fact that the FA have a policy of no discrimination. I'm still waiting for a suitable answer. This really needs to be highlighted that in today's society the notion that everything is fair & equal isn't necessarily so. I think anyone who comes across these old-fashioned & outdated views much exposes these people for what they really are. Unfortunately, there is still a view that single male adopters are only there for inappropriate reasons, which is absolute nonsense.
Flosskirk
October 23, 2018 17:02
That is beyond belief. Have you raised this with them formally? They should be quaking in their boots. The press would have a field day with this! They receive public money so you could also contact your MP. keep us posted
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juniorb
October 23, 2018 17:10
Hi, I am still waiting for their response. I'll update when they do.
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Bigmrs
October 23, 2018 17:27
Yes, unbelievable! I canât even express what I feel about this!! Xx
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Haven
October 23, 2018 18:51
I'll answer whatever 'one' that might question a single man's motivation to adopt, (but it will by no means be exhaustive!) Maybe that single man is someone with a big heart, patience in spades, a knowledge of therapeutic parenting, a role model for his son, a lot to give, an amazing parent and someone who would therefore give tons and tons to an organisation such as The Football Association. Honestly! How old fashioned and small minded... Good luck, I hope they grovel to you Juniorb xxx
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Sivier
October 24, 2018 11:54
This is indeed shocking, how horrible for you to experience that. I hope that, at the very least, you get an apology. They could do with some serious guidance from the Equalities and Human Rights Commission or similar body in PROPERLY implementing their inclusion/no discrimination policy and in re-training their staff. I would go straight to the Board of Directors and ask for their comment.
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chestnuttree
October 24, 2018 21:41
I am very sorry this happened to you and I hope this will have consequences for the idiot (sorry, but I think that is the appropriate term) who wrote that.
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Johanna
October 24, 2018 21:51
I agree this is a terrible comment and you do need to take it further as a very discriminatory written view point. All the best Johanna
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beebob
October 24, 2018 23:01
Absolutely unbelievable - I am not surprised (sadly) that things like this may be said in private, even these days - but to put it in writing shows complete and utter ignorance and stupidity - not just about the reasons a single male might adopt, but about basic employment and discrimination issues! I would not rest until I had a satisfactory outcome from any complaint. I am sorry that this happened to you.
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Pear Tree
October 25, 2018 00:01
How shocking! Sexist and just totally unfair, in every way. Just wanted you to know we agree that it stinks.
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Madrid
December 6, 2018 08:40
Words fail me. Take them to the cleaners and to the Press.
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Alaska099
January 20, 2019 09:47
Hi there; Just wondering if you got a response to this incident.
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juniorb
January 20, 2019 21:46
Hi, I did get sort of an apology but not from the person who made the original comment. Token gesture really but I won't let it go until I get a proper apology.
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Lilythepink
January 21, 2019 10:34
That is utterly shocking. I honestly think that if you can stomach it, you need to take this higher. The FA, amongst other organisations, are having to grapple with their failures to safeguard children over many decades. If this leads them to making insinuating assumptions about single men and children (and in my experience assumptions about single men are often homophobic, regardless of whether you are gay), then they need some serious re-training. If they are stuck in this stereotyped, discriminatory thinking then it's very unlikely they are capable of identifying where there really is risk to children. Have you thought about going to your MP I wonder? At least they are stupid enough to have put this in writing, exposing that there's a problem here. Sorry you've had this experience.
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juniorb
January 21, 2019 11:09
From what I have gathered recently this is not uncommon for the FA. They have a very unhealthy attitude when it comes to these kinds of matters but gloss it over with pretty statements & words.
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Sivier
January 21, 2019 11:22
Did you write to HR or to the management? I wonder who replied? The FA has an Inclusion Advisory Committee: http://www.thefa.com/about-football-association/who-we-are/fa-committees You could write to the Chair of that committee, asking for their comment on what was said about your motivation to adopt, and cc'ing the relevant parties involved with recruitment. I would be also tempted to contact the Guardian or similar so that they might contact the FA for comment. Good luck - I hope that a proper apology comes your way and that their mindset on this is exposed (and ideally, rectified).
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juniorb
January 21, 2019 11:29
Thanks
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Lilythepink
January 21, 2019 11:31
Ps. I agree with Sivier - I would contact the press about this too. I think they need to have the book thrown at them. Another thing to consider is a subject access request for the data they hold in interview notes (is there more than this, for example, and are they keeping it?). You might want to consider whether they are holding defamatory statements about you which would influence future recruitment. I'm not a lawyer, but I do know that the fact they've put this in writing and potentially stored it so that others in the organisation could read it, is another potential offence they've committed against you. I honestly don't think an apology is enough! https://ico.org.uk/ might be helpful.
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juniorb
January 21, 2019 11:35
Yes, I've got the DSAR & It's not good reading in regard to certain comments the writer has made.
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