Sectioned teen- DD victim

[NFLwidow]

For the last 12 months my DD has been subjected to some worrying behaviours which have ranged from obsessive and fixated to most recently vile by another child.

My child has done nothing wrong. This has been confirmed by the police and medical professionals. They are teens. 15.

They have no history. They do not know each other other than going to the same school.

Other child was sectioned due to behaviour

. All actions of harassment /stalking we wanted to take and were encouraged to take were dropped as apparently police cannot proceed with it following a section ?

my Aibu is the other child is set to be allowed out of the unit they were held in soon. We are not allowed any information on the child or access to any safety plans.

surely this cannot be right? The other party is in year 11. I don’t know their age.

I want to keep my child safe and I’m not entitled to know anything and I’m scared. It’s 6 weeks since the section.

You can’t know anything about the other teen in terms of her medical information. Her age is irrelevant to this. If she is going to be somewhere with your daughter, such as school or college, then they can create a safety plan for your daughter. Is this girl coming back to the same school? If not, will she live locally and you have fears around that? What information would help you and your DD to feel safer?

I’d like to be added to the safety plan and know when this child is out. But we won’t be told.

the threats included rape.

How awful. If your child has been threaded with rape regardless of that other child's mental state/health then everything needs to be done to support and protect your child. The other child is invisibly getting the support they require so your child the victim is entitled to support and protection.

The school need to ensure that your child is never left in a vulnerable situation. How I don't know. Will the other child have a TA with them at all times it's not fair to expect your child to have to have a TA following them around. What about break times, lunch and before and after school who will be ensuring that the other child doesn't come into contact with your child? Will the other child be able to acres the same after school activities? Are all pupils in the school aware of the situation? What are they going to do so your child can feel safe in a place where your child should have no reason to be fearful? What about the toilet situation is there going to be a monitor I highly doubt it. These are the questions you need to be asking

Your child needs to have a tape alarm on them at all times.

*rape alarm

Would you be willing to have a meeeting at the school with the head teacher, head of years and the other guardians?

you aren’t entitled to anything about the other party. They’re poorly, they’re receiving treatment and they will have that section rescinded when they are well.
you cannot remove someone from school from being ill

if you’re sectioned it is more than likely your illness is a disability which means the person can’t have any negative treatment under the equality act

yoy need to stop focusing on what is being done to the kid, and start focusing on what your DD needs and asking school how they can protect her.

In adult mental health services, the police can and do proceed with a wide variety of convictions, regardless of a person being detained under a section of the mental health act. Perhaps it’s different in CAMHS? But I’d double check the usual procedures.

At first I was appalled, especially when I saw vulnerable patients being convicted of things such as arson (when setting fire to their own hospital bed) etc. but it is really important that incidents (especially related to ongoing risks) are officially documented, as it can be a lot more difficult to get the right support in place (for patients as well as others affected) unless everything is properly accounted for and not just swept under the rug. Eg, ensuring someone actually reaches the threshold for specialist forensic services can rest upon whether or not people reported everything that took place historically and the police followed up.

If someone is deemed mentally unwell they still go through the criminal justice system, the difference is, they don’t go to prison- they go to secure forensic mental health facilities and receive therapy.

I’m so sorry for what has been happening to your daughter. A plan definitely needs to be put in place to ensure her safety. Have you spoken to the police directly, yourself?

I would ask the police for the number they give to victims of crime - it’s a charity number. They are very good and will help you through this in terms of what you legally do next - harassment orders for example.
I would contact school and ask immediately for a meeting with the head and the safeguarding lead. Your child is not safe in school with that child and they should not be allowed to be anywhere near yours - preferably a transfer to another school or online learning . You need to be very very firm and explain you are not leaving until they guarantee your child’s safety.
Sadly we had a very negative experience with a mentally ill child relentlessly harassing ours - we had to fight hard to get the school to do anything about it. The child had a breakdown (nothing to do with our child) and it forced them to try but they weren’t equipped. You need to speak to other teacher friends and get advice.

It's really difficult because I totally understand why you want this information, but the other child has not been found guilty at this stage and there is no right for you/DD to have information about their care, including whether or not they are in hospital (unless this is said in open court). This is their private medical information.

In terms of safety planning, it's always best to assume the perpetrator is in the community because they could have leave or be discharged with no notice.

Does your daughter have a stalking advocate? Paladin have a young people's service you may want to consider speaking to. www.paladinservice.co.uk/young-people-services

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust also have a helpline with stalking advocates. I'd definitely speak to Suzy Lamplugh Trust or Paladin for advice and support advocating for your DD with the police.

The police can prosecute even if the person has mental health issues. Google R v Colohan. Sentencing can include a Mental Health Treatment Requirement or a Hospital Order, not just probation or prison.

Another option is a Stalking Protection Order. The police apply for this. It is a civil order but breach of the order is a criminal offence

This is also clearly a safeguarding concern. I'd hope it's already been raised as a concern, but experience had taught me not to assume. Google your local authority and children's safeguarding and raise a concern yourself.

Some years ago, a very close family member was sectioned after being arrested for making threats to kill. The threats also included SA. Even though the threats were not directed at a specific individual, rather the family member (who was 17) had created a profile of a person), the threats were taken very seriously.

In hospital, the individual had a forensic assessment, and seven months of inpatient treatment. When he was discharged, several places (residential accommodation) refused to accommodate him due to his high level risk assessment.

He is now coping very well, and has regular medication and support reviews. He has a psychotic illness and will need some form of medication and support for his illness all his life.

So, these sort of incidents are taken very seriously, and robust risk assessments will be done. The individual will not simply be discharged with no aftercare or support in the community. If an individual was named as or had been a target for the sectioned individual, an essential part of the risk assessment should include ways through which both individuals can be protected post-discharge.

I’m concerned for my child as the parent of the other child stopped their medication as they thought it was unnecessary. Their actions contributed massively to this latest psychotic episode which resulted in the sectioning. I do hope the other child gets well. I really do but I have huge concerns.

school have been great but not a lot they can do. We have all safeguarding things in place. Police have a tag on our house. My child has a rape alarm. And an air tag.

if your child had been subjected to such vile vitriolic threats for a long period then I’m sure any parent would have similar concerns.

And the other child does not need to be found guilty of anything. The messages have been sent to various people and are in writing to my child. No investigation is needed. The police have had said she is a victim but they won’t act because of the section

Looked at getting an order but it’s a bit pointless as when they are not psychotic it’s all ok. It’s when they are we have an issue. And then they are, any order doesn’t matter.

What? Is this a 136 or section 2?

This doesn't ring true.