Genetic testing

[DodoBaggins]

I'm looking for advice please.

Our LO has a lot going on and their peadeatric consultant would like for LO to have genetic testing. But she wants Birth Parent consent. Apparently they've been legally challenged in the past.

We've raised it with LOs SW and are waiting to hear back about what their position is. Mum's consent might be ok to get aslong as someone spends time talking to her about it. Dad's is a definite no.

We're pre adoption order but LO has been with us a while. This isn't about understanding the match, it's about understanding their future needs.

Has anyone found themselves in the same situation and can share what happened?

I'm a bit concerned that we will hit a brick wall and not be able to get consent.

How long until the AO? Can it wait?

Three months hopefully, so yes it could wait. I'm not sure whether the AO makes a difference though.

From how the consultant explained it, by testing LO we're testing the birth parents, so even if we have the AO I'm not sure it matters. I do need to check this because I recognise this might make it a complete non problem!

That is true, ethically. But once you have the AO, you're the parents, and you wouldn't need BP consent.

percypetulant is right, AD3 needed numerous tests prior to AO being finalised. I spoke to SW who said go ahead we were her parents.
On a slightly different level AD2 needed urgent but planned heart surgery SS contacted the court and it was rushed through.
Can understand the implications regarding birth parents with genetic problems.. Good luck

The difference at the moment is that parental rights are shared between the birth family, social work as corporate parents and you as (currently) foster carers. The adoption order gives you full parental rights, and removes those rights from social work and birth parents. At the moment that kind of testing would need everyone’s consent, after the adoption order it just needs your consent.

I’d check back with the doctor because there may be ethical concerns to consider but you should be able to consent as your child’s parent post adoption.

I agree, I think it’s at least partly to do with not having the legal side completed.

DD has had a complete genomic analysis (and every single sort of test they can dream up) and they never even mentioned birth parents! This was post final order.

It may depend what they think they are looking for, we have got it down to a spontaneous mosaic mutation (nice!) so any diagnosis isn’t giving us any information about her birth parents’ genes. It might be completely different if they suspect a specific, hereditary condition?

The only issue we had was we were unable to register her for the 10,000 genome study thing - as that requires birth parent samples.

Don’t get your hopes up though - DD remains a (gorgeous) medical mystery. I have decided to just leave her be, in her case it’s not like having a diagnosis will change anything.

Dependant on age of child can access medical support in own right if regarded as competent see Guidance search Guillick Competence NHS. Also would assume if SS had corporate parenting rights would still have a degree consents be it shared would be signed off by Birth parents giving SS permission for medical consents.