New Ian McEwan novel The Children Act to take on religion

[rug]

Story focusing on parents who refuse treatment for their son's illness will be published in September



'The secular mind seems far superior' … Ian McEwan Photograph: Andy Hall

Richard Lea
theguardian.com, Monday 14 April 2014 07.59 EDT

Ian McEwan will focus on the contested domains of religion and family life for his forthcoming novel, The Children Act, according to his publisher Jonathan Cape.

Due to be published on 4 September 2014, The Children Act puts ideas of adult responsibility on trial with a plot that revolves around parents who are refusing treatment for their sick son because of their religious beliefs. The novel centres on the presiding judge at the high court, who is a woman.

Speaking at last month's Oxford literary festival, McEwan described the denial of medical help on religious grounds "utterly perverse and inhumane", according to the Telegraph, arguing that "the secular mind seems far superior in making reasonable judgments".

"There's an almost consumerist notion that the pursuit of individual happiness cuts across the interests of children," McEwan said.

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/apr/14/new-ian-mcewan-novel-the-children-act-religion

[struggle4progress]

1. ... The English law in relation to the administration of treatment to children, and the withdrawal

of treatment from them, is straightforward: the only lawful treatment is that which is in the child's best interests. The Children Act 1989 (Section 1(1)(a)) puts it slightly differently, but synonymously: the welfare of the child is the paramount consideration. Yes, the views of those holding parental responsibility are sought, but those views do not determine where the child's best interests lie. This is often misunderstood. One hears people talk about a parental veto on proposed treatment or a withdrawal of treatment. There is no such veto. There is a de facto (but not de jure) presumption that a parent's views on what is in their child's best interests will coincide with what those best interests are, but that presumption is rebuttable, and is very commonly rebutted ...

If you ask the wrong question, you'll get the wrong answer
Charles Foster
J Med Ethics
Accepted 20 March 2012
Published Online First 13 August 2012

[rug]

2. It looks like a case-by-case standard.

[struggle4progress]

3. It looks like a "best interests of the child" standard

but (of course) that can only be determined case by case