EXACTLY how we deal with families with a variety of problems is a source of debate.

While we all want the best outcome for everyone, especially children, surely there comes a point when we question whether they can be kept as a family?

That certainly seems to be the case around the Stoke on Trent couple with two young children who have together cost the taxpayer more than £1 million. That’s the cost of hundreds of call-outs by the emergency services and a workload for 25 separate agencies including police, NHS, fire services and social services.

The problem involves the couple’s alcohol dependency. They are probably both very sad and needy and do need expert help. But, the country cannot afford to underpin families like this forever. It’s a shock that social services hasn’t taken the children into care already.

Common sense says that, finally, we have to say “no more”.