Welfare of child form

[Navarone2]

Hi,

I received a ‘welfare of the child’ form from a fertility clinic I am ONLY getting advice from.
I have three children already and having difficulty for the 4th.

I simply engaged to seek advice and this was very clearly put to the consultant.

As I’ve had all my tests done outside the clinic , his recommendation was to have a HyCosy scan as I may have scar tissue from previous c section.

The clinic said j must fill this form out to rule out any criminal or childcare abuse against me.

I was deeply upset with the fact that I am in the very very wary stages , haven’t even consider IVF yet.

I really don’t know what to do.

What’s the problem? If you go for IVF you have it filled in (everyone has to). If you don’t go for ivf you’ve just ticked a few boxes on a form...

The law (and associated HEFA guidance) requires that clinics have a completed 'Welfare of the Child' form for each patient before commencing any treatment.

It's entirely standard and not meant to upset - if you don't want to fill it in why not ask your clinic why it needs completed at your stage of enquiry but you will need to complete it if you advance to any treatment.

I too am confused why you are so upset by this? They make everyone fill it out. I'm not exactly sure if it's legally required for fertility testing as well as treatment, but does it matter? Just save yourself the hassle and fill out the form, fertility struggles are bad enough without the bother of arguing if every form you complete is a legal requirement at that exact stage of the process or if it can wait for a month til the next stage!

Thank you for your replies.
I dont have a problem filing out a form if and when I have chosen an assisted route I.e ivf or iui.
I thought it was too soon to be asking me to fill out these forms especially when the consultant has expressed that I keeping trying the natural route for a while longer . I was very honest with the consultant in relation to ivf and iui and said it would be a massive decision for Financial reasons.

As of now the clinic are not assisting me to have a baby. They are only offering advice. I think is why I feel it’s a bit invasive.

@Navarone2 honestly that form is the least invasive part of the whole process. You should really consider if you’re up for this if you decide to go ahead. You’ll have almost every area of your life and body bits jabbed into, stared at by strangers, and practically picked apart. All the stages will involve direct feedback on what’s going right or wrong without any cushioning really. That is just how the medical process works. It’s nothing personal against your parenting, they’re just doing their job.

I completely understand why I would need to fill out the form if I was actively engaged in a fertility treatment. But I am not.

Having had 3 sections i know what it’s like to have been prodded etc. And my sister had ivf and I did her injections.

Why then on a general rule of thumb doesn’t anyone planning to have a child fill out these forms for regulation of the welfare of a child.

If I’m planning and I really hope to have a child naturally, this form is not needed. That is my point.

I have read the policy on the HEFA and it’s related to IVF and IUI. Nothing about a just having a consultation.

I probably should say I have worked in child protection for 10 years. It does not sit right with me that genuine people who want to have a child need to verify they haven’t abused a child in anyway. Plenty of child are born into poverty, abuse and physical damaging environments.

I just think it’s a bit much when I only had a consultation.

I do understand that and think it’s likely to be the clinic’s process to do it this way. Maybe they wrote their process like this to prevent people from going further into consultations etc and having to pay for those when they wouldn’t meet criteria based on the welfare form? Just a guess though

I don't intend for this to come across the wrong way but I think you are thinking into this too much. I don't think they have given you it because they believe you are the type of person to harm a child. It might well be your clinics policy to give those to anyone they deal with.

Although they are not physically doing anything to help, they are advising you and anyone through their care, whether physical action is taken or not, I would imagine they have a duty of care to have these forms read and signed.

If I remember correctly this was one of the first forms I had to fill in also and this was before we decided IVF was the route for me.

They will have boxes to tick and that's really all it will be. I'm sure you are a fabulous mother and they will know that also.

I know what you mean though in terms of how it makes you feel, when I was signing them I was thinking how strange it is to have to sign these to progress when so many out there who are not fit to parent are able to have children and are not looked into. It's tough, but take it easy on yourself and don't over think it :)

Good luck with your journey!

I think some clinics just send them out as a standard part of the initial/early assessment process; while it can feel a bit unnecessary at the point where you seem to be at, I can see the logic in them getting it done and out of the way (or detecting any potential issues) at an early stage. The introductory paperwork is quite one-size-fits-all, it seems like, so it doesn't take into consideration individual factors. I had to fill in the same form prior to my first appointment too.

@Navarone2 it does not sit right with me that genuine people who want to have a child need to verify they haven’t abused a child in anyway. Plenty of child are born into poverty, abuse and physical damaging environments.

Welcome to infertility! It’s just another part we have to enjoy - filling in forms like that while passing knackers dragging their malnourished kids around on the way to the clinic. Nothing about it is fine but unfortunately we all have to sign it and there is too much else stressful about ivf to be worrying about it. Just can’t expend emotional energy on stuff like that when going through the process as it’s already a lot to deal with.

The unfairness of having to sign that form (whilst there are awful people popping out babies with ease left, right and centre without signing diddlysquat) struck me momentarily. But only momentarily. Infertility is very unfair anyway and the form was the least of my concerns.

Clinics have a moral obligation to an unborn child not to get someone pregnant who has abused a child previously - I'm sure adoption have a similar form. It's not needed for naturally conceiving couples because there is no third party involved. I suppose in extreme circumstances an IVF baby could sue a clinic for allowing them to be born to abusive parents so this is their way of carrying out a check on prospective mothers/fathers before hand

Honestly when it's your likely first and only child and not your 4th you'll sign anything and not think too much about it

They use it to help decide if it's appropriate to provide treatment so better to be doing it at an early stage, if they did it after taking money from you they would get criticised for that too. It is usually done upon booking an appointment and not just at the enquiry stage but I would imagine it's not common for the Doctor to be providing advice if you are just making an enquiry so I'm unsure of the set up at your clinic

Thank you all for your replies..