To think this is a serious safe guarding issue

[Susieqt]

I went to my regular toddler group this morning and I'm aware one of the mums has a partner who was recently committed to a mental health hospital because he was hearing voices and seriously harmed their child. Well this morning HE was at the group with her. I overheard her telling the lady that ran the group he was doing really well (so the organizer is well aware of the issue) but quite frankly I don't give a shit, I don't want him anywhere near my child and I don't think he should be in a place full of children when he has harmed his own! Aibu to think he should have been asked to leave? I honestly can't see that I am BU, am I?

[Mishaps]

This is a difficult one. Some mental illnesses, left untreated, can cause the sufferer to be a danger to others. And MH professionals sometimes get it wrong and patients are assessed as not being a danger when they still are.

This is not to denigrate people who suffer from psychosis, but I do not think we help those patients by pretending that there are no dangers. They need to know that and so do we all.

We have to assume that this man was under treatment and that he was on the mend and no longer need constitute a danger. But knowledge of mental illness is not widespread and I can understand why you were concerned, so do not let yourself be beaten up on here.

Unfortunately we are not yet at the stage where we might feel comfortable asking someone in this situation directly how they are, as we would if someone had, for instance, diabetes.

It does sound as though the toddler group organiser was on top of things and I do not think you have a reason to be worried.

Any one of us might finish up afflicted with a mental health problem - it is no respecter of persons.

[conserveisposhforjam]

Playgroups and volunteer run activities still have to safeguard children/dbs check volunteers/for risk assessments.

I also think you've got a kicking here because you included the phrase 'has MH issues'. Most people who hurt babies probably DO have MH issues - it isn't usual to hurt babies. That is not to say in any way that the reverse is true of course.