Wednesday 7 February 2007

Cyriax warns about TV programme maker

Oliver Cyriax writes on the subject of Karen Hamilton Productions:

If this is the programme which recently contacted me (where the contact was also Karen - the mobile is 07980 863 769) it is best avoided.

The lead researcher for this documentary ('Karen') was at pains to inform me:

(i) that she already knew everything

(ii) that, in consequence, there was nothing more she needed to find out

Basic conversation confirmed that she was unaware of :

- the basic intellectual principles in this sector
- the common components of contact cases
- the law as it actually is
- the law as it is believed to be
- the difference between the two
- why this might matter
- recent developments in thought
- the role of Government and Whitehall
- the significance (or otherwise) of the Contact and Adoption Act
- the history of the various institutions
- the deficit of these various institutions
- the way this affects contact applications
- recent endeavours at reform

Karen did not know either what was wrong; or how it could be put right.

She made it plain that she was not interested in finding out. I have not had such a dispiriting conversation since dealing with the Home Office in the mid-1990s. I imagine that anyone who does, approaches the programme at their peril.

Please feel free to copy this out.

Regards

Oliver


From: "Lara" <lara@khpl.co.uk>> >>

Dear George,>>>> Apologies for not getting back to you sooner. I have been out of the >> office>> for a few days and only now got the chance to catch up with all my emails.>> I am sorry to hear that you have had bad experiences in the past and hope>> that the following goes some way to reassuring you about the aims of our>> project.>>>>

Karen Hamilton Productions has won awards and helped to shape government>> policy with past programmes and this series, about the family justice system, will hopefully go some way to making things better for parents and>> children.

These programmes are serious docs and we have no interest in>> making one party look bad as this would be counterproductive to looking at>> where the problems in the system lie.

I have been working on this for over >> 2>> years and my huge concern is that these disagreements about children are>> linked to the hurt that both parents are feeling. It is these grey areas>> that we hope to elucidate as children need both parents- how can the >> family>> courts best serve families in the long term. As the child of separating>> parents I know myself how important this is.>>>> We also have a number of safeguards built in for the families that>> participate of the programmes, including that parents and children can >> drop>> out at any time up to transmission and we cannot broadcast their footage.>> The families will also get to see the programmes before they go out and >> are>> still able to drop out at this point.>>>>

I hope this answers your questions George and that you will be able to put>> something up on your website about us. It is only through talking to >> parents>> about their experiences that we are able to make well rounded and>> informative programmes and your help is much appreciated,>>>> Feel free to give me a call if you would like to chat further,>> Best wishes>>>>>>>> Lara Leslie>>>> Karen Hamilton Productions>>>> Tel: 020 7503 1640