Parents told christening baby would 'hinder chances of adoption'

A social worker is being investigated after advising a couple not to christen their son because it would hinder his chances of being adopted.

The social worker, from Kent, England, told the couple it would be harder to place the baby for adoption if he had been "christened into the Christian faith", the Telegraph reports.

The unnamed social worker has been criticised during a family court hearing, where a judge labeled her comments "regrettable" and ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Social services had been planning to place the 15-month-old boy for adoption but had decided to place him with relatives instead.

However, when the baby’s biological parents said they wanted him to be christened, the social worker allegedly advised the boy’s father against it, telling him it would reduce his chances of adoption.

The father taped the conversation and then made a complaint about her conduct, which she later admitted to in court.

Judge Richard Scarratt said he could understand why the couple felt the social worker was determined to get the child adopted.

"I am not remotely ­surprised that the parents felt, when the care plan was one of adoption outside of the birth family, that the social worker was gunning for adoption – if I might put it so crudely," he said.

He then ordered an internal investigation into the conduct by Kent County Council, adding its apology to the couple was "too late and inadequate".