Your child freedom formula / child anxiety programmes - thread 2

[Psuedoshoes]

Carrying on the discussion of YCFF and other similar programmes...

Link to previous thread:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/child_adolescent_mental_health/4239684-your-child-freedom-formula-has-anyone-tried-it?msgid=108493516#108493516

Thanks Mumma

Thanks for the reports. We can see that there's some sockpupettry going on in this thread so we've closed a couple of accounts. We're fine to give any company a right of reply - it's best to email us first on contactus @ mumsnet.com

Thanks michael. It’s very obvious that it’s been going on. Although my proofreading skills are pretty good and I can notice the same typos.

I feel like we’ve all been on these threads so long and I need to say this.

After all that gone on, Sam finally comes on as herself, but only after we’d been saying she should post under her own name. She could have done it right at the beginning, months ago, but chose not to. She chose to hide behind fake names, pretending to be clients. (I realise I’m behind a fake name, but in my work with vulnerable teenagers, I’m not.) And then her post instantly gets deleted because she’s posting under multiple names. I knew it was happening, and it happened at the beginning of the first thread too, when I reported posters who I thought were Sam. But even so, it’s so disheartening to know that someone who is prepared to be so dishonest, is allowed to run a business working with vulnerable teens. If I did something like that in my job, I’d be sacked and then it’d be on my employment record. And yet this person is allowed to do what she wants. And then have her husband brag about making £90k a month.

It just fucks me off no end, that it’s legal. I don’t get it. I don’t understand how it is possible to have all that responsibility for young people’s well-being and there be no regulation. And not only that, but also to become threatening to people who want their money back.

Anyway, bit of a rant but it’s been on my mind.

Swan I'm not surprised you feel like that. I am less 'invested' in this and don't have the energy to feel so strongly, but I do agree that people claiming to help in the are of children MH should be more strongly regulated/controlled/whatever.

On the plus side my DD who missed all of y11 had her first induction day at college yesterday, lasted all day, and has gone back today!

Yay!! That’s great it’s a short week too so she can just go in a couple of days and have the weekend. You must be so proud of her.

Even better, her timetable gives her Wednesdays 'off' so she only ever has to do 2 days at a time. Wednesdays can be used for recovery, coursework & CBT.

That sounds perfect. What’s she studying?

Animal Care. One day a week is practical, learning all the skills they might need in a work place. So not just handling, but also cleaning cages, making enrichment things, washing floors etc. The college has a zoo license so as well as rodents and reptiles, dogs and cats, they also have lemurs and red pandas.

@SwanShaped - I hear you, and you echo my thoughts. It is beyond outrageous that there is no accountability for what Sam Robins and her team is doing.

Incidentally she posted on the (shorter) scam thread and the post there was also immediately deleted by admin. I am guessing it was in response to my last post on that thread where I stated that the organisation was being investigated. It is (being investigated) and I can only hope that these investigations bring to light the inadequacies of their training/processes and their dubious sales tactics etc, so that it ceases operating.

While I will be sad that a resource that appears it has been of great support and help to some will be gone, I cannot sit by and wait for the inevitability of a serious safeguarding issue to come up (or a worse situation to occur!), so I will continue to actively support those organisations who are investigating by providing information and signposting those who have contacted me to them.

I feel confident that something will happen that will bring to light to a wider audience the practices of Peaky Parents (YCCF? Kids Anxiety Disorders?).

Just a final note that I saw a newer review on Trustpilot for them that is very honest. Have you seen it?

uk.trustpilot.com/reviews/6133f7a3cc0087e8ef6e610f

Thanks good. I’ve been invested in this thread, as teen said. I bet the OP never in a million years expected it to end up how it has. I certainly never did.

I’ve also offered to help out with an investigation but haven’t actually heard back from the guy I emailed. Not sure I could help much anyway and hopefully other people have spoken to him.

I didn’t see the shorter scam thread. Was it another thread?

Thanks for everything you’re doing good. I’ll have a look at that review.

Link to 'scam' thread here: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/child_adolescent_mental_health/4294609-Your-Child-Freedom-Formula-scam

Thanks good. I hadn’t seen than one. Sam just doesn’t stop, does she?!

@JOR15

"My partner studied for 3 consistent years at university, trained for months to be apart of this company."

"Your Child Freedom Formula" didn't exist 3 years ago, and I know they recruit mentors with zero training, may I ask what role your partner has at the company? It's ok if you'd rather not say.

I have no doubt at all that there are some excellent people who have been sucked in by the owners of "Your Child Freedom Formula" / "Peaky Parents", I have every sympathy that your wife has found herself in this position, it must be very difficult.

I personally have nothing to say about the post from JOR15 except:

Goodness - Sam has her mentors working 12-hrs a day?! That is not good to read. I am unsure how they can provide good support and care for these children if they are in distress and working such long hours..?!

I work for a company who has a value of ‘challenge’ this is a constructive, positive thing that build improvement in our industry and is always well received. I appreciate there are individuals that work really hard but when vulnerable kids are involved, we as parents need reassurance and information before opening up our kids to that. My daughter has got worse after pretty much every intervention, hence the many questions before signing up.
I used this post to decide if it was for us or not and rather than use these questions fir positive reassurances, I have seen rants and odd video messages aimed directly at my username. This has helped me confirm that something is not right in the business led by Sam.
I hope your partner doesn’t suffer any more and appreciate there are many people working hard that care. I’m not sure that this should mean the company should be above any formal regulation. I don’t think I have said anything out of order in either thread but feel free to point out if you think any different.
Good luck to both of you.

Anyone else spot the same typos repeating in JOR15's and JungleMum40's posts? All entirely coincidental I'm sure.

Hi @JOR15.

I’d like to know why your partner has no voice. And how are they involved?

Also, what did she study for three years at university? I’ve seen the qualifications section of YCFFF/Peaky Parents but it doesn’t actually list what the qualifications are.

I’d also like to know which bits of this thread are hateful

I agree that the NHS can be very lacking in its support for teenagers with anxiety. Waiting lists are long and thresholds are high.

I’m also sure that there may be people helping out with this scheme who have good intentions. And also all the parents on the programme want the best for their children.

What I don’t like, aside from everything already discussed, is the fact that Sam has lied about who she is on this thread. She’s pretended to be parents on the programme on here. Its deceitful and insulting to people whose children really are suffering. To make up a child with anxiety to try to persuade people to buy the programme is disgraceful. Initially I thought maybe she was just misguided, but then the lies made it clear that she knew what she was doing.

I also don’t like the accusations that people who don’t use the programme are bad mums. That only good mums buy the course.

I posted at same time as you so didn’t see you post about not wanting to share your partner’s details.

What does this mean? What I don’t like is the fact that you are struggling, and have found people to take it out on. Do you mean that you think that we’re struggling and so are being mean?

Was that message aimed at anything I said? If I have given you any reason to think I have accused anyone of anything please tell me.

Mine wasn’t aimed at you @Comfysofa78 although I’m pretty sure you don’t think it was.

This thread has given me information about a company that I was considering signing up with so I could get help for my child. I have also sought information from Peaky Parents website and other sources. The exposure to a range of information from varying sources is useful and is helping me to form my view about whether this is for me or not.

What is incontrovertible is that there is a very clear marketing strategy, aimed at parents when they are very vulnerable, to make a sale. This is what really worries me - it causes me to question the ethics, credibility and professionalism of the organisation. It is without doubt wrong.

I came across the organisation known as Peaky Parents - I would not have known about YCFF had it not been for this post. I generally want to know about the history of any business that I am dealing with , especially if parting with a large sum of money. If I am seeking help (medical/psychological) I want to know about the provider's experience and qualifications.

My worry is that people doing research on Peaky Parents (or any future new name) may not come across all the info re YCFF and its history. I think that a prospective customer/client needs this info so they can make an informed decision.

Not sure how this can be achieved..

Hi @JOR15

Personally I'm lucky enough to not even be remotely struggling, and I'm certainly not spreading false accusations - can you point out what 'false accusations' have been made?

I think the only thing that could be labelled a 'false accusation' is when Your Child Freedom Formula was described as a pyramid scheme. Wasn't that claim made by someone who was being taken to court by Samantha Robins since she had the temerity to ask for a refund because she received what she perceived to be terrible treatment?