I read with some concern how Children's Advocate Mary Clarke wishes to meet this week with the 19-year-old mother who abandoned her child to seek answers from her.

My question to Ms Clarke is what about the other 6,000 plus children who have been abused and are now in 'state care'? Have you met with their parent(s).

As a nation we need to stop this abuse of our children and it must start at the top. While it is all very well for the State to warehouse these abused children, has Ms Clarke, or anyone else for that matter, visited the parents of the said children?

Has the Child Development Agency (CDA) done anymore than give them three meals a day and a roof over their heads?

Ms Anderson of the CDA states "we need to get a grip", but they needed "to get a grip" years ago. It is time for these agencies to be held more accountable and then maybe some of this will stop.

I am, etc.,

BRIAN JAMES

brianinkingston@hotmail.com

Kingston