Can social services take away your children if you ask them?

[Queenbeexo]

Really didn’t know if I should post this in this section or the “mental health” section, so I posted it in the SAHP section, since I am one.
I have two DC, 3 and 9 months and I have struggled with mental health problems since a young teenager (now in my late 20s) and since my second DC it has got increasingly worse. I have no support from family and only have DH to help but he works 5 days a week so can’t help all day, every day.
He just tells me I’m having a bad day and it will get better but I feel trapped, like there is no way out of how I am feeling. Don’t get me wrong, I do love both DC dearly but am really struggling with their demands for different things and keeping on top of housework as well. Can you ask social services to take your children? GP wouldn’t refer me to them last week for support because she didn’t think they would be the right people to help me, so instead referred me to the mental health team.

I am very low and constantly snapping at DC1 over something trivial and just feel like I don’t want to be here anymore. I am trapped, and I will never be able to feel better again.

Can you take yourself off for a walk when the homestart visitor is there or is that not allowed? Can they look after the baby so you can go into another room and play with your older one?

I know these things are just tinkering around the edges but I'm just trying to think of ways to carve out a bit of a break for you in the short term.

Getting the right mental health support can be such a battle, and sometimes the battle just feels never ending and too hard to fight.

But I agree with everyone else who says this is a mental health illness and not a sign that you are a bad parent.

I haven’t asked anyone to take my children but I have admitted to the health visitor I am struggling.

She got me some help, put me in touch with an early years worker for some practical support with my son and to a parenting team and mental health team. Which has been very helpful, particularly the parent team who run weekly sessions to chat about anything while your kids are at a crèche.