Ukraine's Got Talent

Appearing on Ukraine's Got Talent Kseniya Simonova, using sand animation, tells the story of Germany conquering Ukraine in the second world war. A couple on a bench become a woman's face; a peaceful walkway becomes conflagration; a weeping widow morphs into an obelisk for an unknown soldier.

Please stick with it, it's breathtaking. The words at the end are 'You are always near'. She won.

Compelling animation indeed.

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Where Did We Go Wrong and When?

I heard part of a discussion about this on radio today. Reading about it leaves me feeling a mixture of emotions including anger and sadness.

How did this woman get to the point of having 13 children, all removed from her care, and is now expecting a 14th? Several of her children were born with disabilities. One baby died after being born with a rare condition which stops the brain developing properly.

All of her children have been legally adopted except for one boy, age 14, who has celebral palsy.

It appears neither the woman or her partner has ever worked. They insisted they agreed to private counselling as long as it was paid for by the council, but social services told them to attend a free group session instead. They refused, saying they did not want to air their issues in front of strangers.

Sometimes people will not be helped no matter how much the state intervenes but did we go wrong and when?

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