Awaiting approval - DH past mental health issues

[cappy123]

Hi guys

Would be interested in your views / support. Years ago before he became a parent, my husband was hospitalised for a few weeks following a breakdown. He was diagnosed as clinically depressed and also given a diagnosis of schizophrenia which he understood but has always seen as more of a spiritual breakdown.

Fast forward some years and he became a single parent of a now 15 year daughter, who is flourishing. We've been together 4 years, married 2 and we started the adoption process this spring. We had the initial visit where hubby discussed his past, and we had our medicals where the GP said she would emphasis his mental stability over the years in her report. Also we attended the 3 day course. We expect that hubby would need to see the LA psychiatrist.

We chased things up recently and received a letter along the lines of, everything is with the LA psychiatrist and if they think there's a risk of another diagnosis of schizophrenia then we'll be unable proceed. We completely understand that the needs of the adoptive children are paramount. We also know there is always a degree of risk with anything. Hubby is just concerned that he is being judged on who he was for a few weeks almost 20 years ago as opposed to the grounded man and father he has now become. There's no indication they even intend to meet with him before their final decision.

We're obviously hoping and praying for the best. Would their decision influence other LAs if we approach them? What if anything else might we consider? Anyone been in this position?

C

Just to add I wasn't trying to trivialise the risk element. Risk is usually on a range of low to high (impact and likelihood) with plans to manage risks discussed. I'm just keen for the LA to speak with us and not just write us off because there's a risk. :-/

I'm sorry to hear about this .

I'm not sure if there is such a thing as a LA psychiatrist , I thought they were just medical advisors, who are usually from a community medicine background . So I would have thought they would need an up to date report from a psychiatrist , if they were to turn you down on these grounds .

Surely someone who did actually have a psychotic illness would have had a recurrence of symptoms and received medication and treatment over a 20 year period ?

I'm not an expert in this, but I thought that years ago , there were problems with some perfectly normal aspects of other religions and cultures being pathologists by psychiatry . So, for example, someone saying " God / Jehovah spoke to me and said x" might be seen as a sign of mental illness , when it's quite a normal expression in some religions.

It sounds to me like your DH needs a proper psychiatric assessment. The diagnosis of schizophrenia may well have been wrong - a psychiatrist can look at the past 20 years and come up with a current view. The LA should definitely not be going off a GP report interpreted by their medical advisor, neither of whom are likely to be experts in psychiatry. Your GP may be able to arrange this, but I suspect not as your DH is currently well and so won't meet the mental health team's criteria. The LA should have a way to arrange it though.

Hi, it's such a worry. My dp has bipolar disorder and has passesd the medical. He had a supporting letter from his psychiatrist and GP. The social worker said that they are interested in how he deals with and manages any episodes and what impact could it have on any children placed with us.

A family friend, who is a sw on panel for fostering gave me some food for thought that if they used mental health as grounds for declining the application to question if birth parents with the same condition have their children removed at birth and if not why do they think your parenting would be any different.
Good luck, I hope it works out for you both.

If children were removed because of a diagnosis of mental illness of one parent , half the children in the country would be in care

Exactly staceyandtracey.