Social services taking babies away...

[lookattheshorts]

From mother's with previous mental health issues? Is this true?

Lots of my friends and family seem to be sharing the same story, the one of Kerry Blackaller. Has anyone else heard of her story?

I'll do my best to link the appropriate sources.

www.change.org/p/kerry-blackaller-help-get-lyla-blu-home-where-she-belongs-to-her-heart-broken-mommy-kerry/u/23400921

Are people being unreasonable to say social services do sometimes take children away when it isn't actually the right thing?

www.mumsadvice.co.uk/social-services-have-taken-my-heart-i-want-my-baby-back/

Removing the child is a last resort, there will have been other interventions first.

That's not to say they get it right everytime.

Max I agree my links aren't great but that's because I've googled and can't find a more non bias report

Isn't it a bit OTT to say she hasn't taken care of her properly? The whole point of the change petition is because it was based on 'what ifs'.

Just as I'm not 100% that baby shouldn't have been taken away, you shouldn't have been 100% the baby should've with so little info to go on

Yes, because abusive and inadequate parents always admit they have been abusive, so she must be telling the truth...

But if there is cause to doubt the mother is able to look after the child safely, then it probably should be taken away. The mother can then argue her case and get the child back if she can show she isn't a risk.

Better that than leaving the child to come to harm, then deal with the fallout as to why they didn't intervene.

Neither of those links have any factual information.

I don’t know this case OP but in my experience of cases like these the parent usually has had children already in care for very serious reasons and social services don’t have the evidence to suggest the parent has engaged in change or changed the situation and they have a responsibility to the child. It’s not good enough to way for things to go wrong when every indication is that they will - the early months are so important.

Max, you know nothing about this case. People and situations are very complex, and that includes the biases of the people deciding to remove a child and the extended family members. All these people can have unmerited influence.

Yes SS take babies from parents and mothers sometimes. No they don’t always get it right. And finally I will add that often it is never clear till the dying day of that child whether the best of a few bad decisions was made in removibg them.

I will also say that Not always has every intervention already been offered before removal such as in the case of malicious allegations against a Mum or Dad. The baby can be removed very quickly and before any support is offered in such situations.

As tragic as the story is for those involved, it's a non story without any facts. The lady says she no longer has a mental illness, but there will be psychiatric reports that have found otherwise. It's awful, but people shouldn't judge either way on so little information.

@Hideandgo The case in question has resulted in a forced adoption, so plenty of time to investigate following the initial referral/ removal and where it is now. This is not some snap decision based on a malicious report.

She gets to say whatever version of events she likes to catch sympathy from strangers. Social Services can't tell their version of events for confidentiality.

There are plenty of cases where the story told by the sadface parent is woefully incomplete. E.g. 'only mild learning difficulties' = so bad at risk assessment they sat the child on the counter next to the hob. Or 'excellent carer for their child' = perfectly ok at practical parenting, but is in active relationship with convicted paedophile, refuses to give up relationship to safeguard own children.

You make it sound like ‘previous mental heath issues’ aren’t serious? If her children is at risk of harm because she can’t appropriately look after them, then it’s in the best interests of the children for them to be elsewhere. The children’s safety is more important than the parent’s wants, surely? It’s not like we’re taking about mild anxiety or depression here but something more serious.

Children are*

Far too little Information ..no one can make judgement or decide it s miscartiage 9f justice on basis of what she says.... read legal.info and background here on the topic
childprotectionresource.online/forced-adoption/

Unfortunately OP you don’t know full story

Lots of people with known mental health issues have children with them so I would imagine there were some very serious concerns due to the past behaviour of this particular mother. The needs of the baby have to be considered before that of the mother.

My best friend is a family barrister. Removing children is an absolute last resort and there is a lot of bureaucracy to get that stage.

"Lots of my friends and family seem to be sharing the same story" - OP, are you saying that lots of your friends and family have had children removed????

This is mumsnet and nobody must ever say anything bad about social services and of course they never fuck up do they?

You make it sound like ‘previous mental heath issues’ aren’t serious? If her children is at risk of harm because she can’t appropriately look after them, then it’s in the best interests of the children for them to be elsewhere. The children’s safety is more important than the parent’s wants, surely? It’s not like we’re taking about mild anxiety or depression here but something more serious.

I have history of severe psychotic episodes in my teens, diagnosed as schizophrenia by 18. Not had any symptoms since apart from mild depression a few years back. Nobody intervened when I was having my son, and when one consultant at the hospital tried bullying me (yes, bullying me. She used terms such as 'whatever' and spoke down to me, threatening a 'section' when she had to grounds to do so), I got the appropriate teams involved and even insisted on a psychiatric evaluation. The psychiatrist spoke to me for a good half an hour and was amused they'd even suggest forcing me to stay. I was discharged. I complained to PALS and got a full apology.

However, I had the knowledge and knew what to do in such a case. For some, it may be a different story. What if the psychiatrist was also a bit of a twit? What if just one other person in addition to that gave a false allegation? It all seems a very slippery slope

Definitely needs of the child should come before the mother

Everytime

Crunchymum No. I said lots of my friends and family seem to be sharing the same story. Which means they're pressing the share button online so others can see the woman's story.

There are so many unknowns here. Maybe she has serious mental health issues but refuses to take her medication, and the psychiatrist says it is only a matter of time before she is psychotic again?
We simply don't know.

Pink

Of course SS make mistakes - they’re very far from perfect.

But I’m this case the forced adoption means a full SS investor will have taken place, the mother would’ve had full legal aid so proper representation and gone through a full
psychological assessment.

Quite possibly there would’ve been a third party (the Guardian ad litem) just representing the child’s interests.

This wouldn’t have been SS’s decision.

Giving a child that name should be a crime.