Need advice on sectioning.

[Shinyballs]

Hi.

I am finding the information online around the Mental Health Act and how to use it to help someone really hard to digest. Is there anyone who can give me clear instructions?

A relative has been sending threatening messages saying they are going to hurt themselves and their young children. Police were called but as usual were satisfied there wasn't a problem. Sw called but didn't bother visiting or calling back!

There really is a problem with this person.

Any advice on this? This person is refusing treatment or help and their behaviour is very consistent with someone with an untreated personality disorder. Thank you.

Bumping for you OP (if this doesn't get you any responses try posting in another topic eg AIBI)

Other than calling the police and the duty AMHP/ social services the person’s GP is the other option (though be clear with the receptionist you only want to share information and request a home visit and need to speak to the doctor: they’ll likely try to stop you because of “GDPR”).
personally I’d report to the police and ask them to take them to a “place of safety” for assessment again after each message. It’s the easiest route but could take a few goes as it depends on individual officers assessment of the situation (and they aren’t specially trained on this)

Unless the person is presenting as a danger to themselves or others, immediately, in a public place, eg on a motorway bridge saying "I'm going to jump/throw my kid off" the police have no powers. They can't kidnap someone from their home. The police only have Section 136 powers - which is public place, so if they visit at home and they tell them yes I sometimes feel suicidal but I'm ok just now and will ring xyz if I need to, they can't do anything but a referral which will get passed to mental health services.

Some forces have an agreement with MH services where a nurse can assess there and then but again it's more around immediate safety whilst in crisis rather than a diagnosis/treatment plan, and again are limited with powers unless in public.

Thank you for your advice everyone.

So just to be clear, if the police go to the home and the parent tells them they are ok, will the police then refer them to mental health services? The police won't remove the children to a place of safety?

I am extremely concerned about the safety of two children in my extended family. Unfortunately, I am some distance away so it is not possible for me to physically get to them.

The duty social worker didn't get back to me when I called.
The crisis line I called told me they weren't going to accept my referral as the police were dealing with it.
The police were helpful and did go around but some hours after the threats were made, and they didn't get back to me afterwards either.

I believe this person is heading for a massive crisis. Their parents are not taking it seriously despite her having problems in the past. Any help nearby from their co-parent (my relation) is blocked by the parents. He was laughed at the other day when he went to the house responding to the threats of her killing his children.

I really need advice around keeping the children safe as I think this behaviour will escalate in the next few weeks.

Thank you all for your advice.

Yes they'll refer them, but doesn't mean they get any let alone immediate treatment AND they have to engage with it. If they don't, then, well.....

If they say they're ok and there's no obvious signs of neglect they'll likely leave the children. Again, it's limited what they can do with children if everything looks ok, they can't just remove them, and if they did SS would likely just return them if all looks ok. The grade for removal of children is HIGH. But the referral to MH will also go to SS.

Unfortunately it might take hitting crisis point for anything to happen. You can't force treatment on someone until it gets to that point, sectioning is a drastic and absolute last step and sadly in this day and age beds are scarce and once sectioned patients can be left at home waiting for a bed which could be 300 miles away. Mental health provision is in absolute crisis.

Has their father explored emergency family court hearing for custody of his children? It might be the way to resolve this......

No he hasn't as unaware of this as an option. Thank you very much for your help.