Thank you sp much for highlighting this. I have been witnessing this and doing my best to bring to attention of those who canassist for a 4 year old little girl given a destabilising contact order because a fact find was not carried out and a catalogue of instances when Mother was let down by services designed to supppport her. Following this suffered 4 yrs of coercian and harrassment despite being seperated. Its always been called a complex case but the childs mental health was not once given the research based consideration it should have had. Next hearing in August.
A full family assessment can be helpful in teasing out the complexities and informing what support or help is needed. But - too often there is little available, appropriate support and a lack of co-ordination in the support offered.
If the Mental Healthcare 'system' could step up roundly to champion and lead the identification and management of emotionally dysfunctional and harmful parenting, wouldn't the legal 'system' have somewhere to appropriately refer these parents & children early on in process?
Universal MH professional ownership of healthy parenting v harmful parenting, emotionally manipulative damage to parent-child dynamics right through to 17 incl., would provide a true approach to this problem, plus demonstrate to all authorities and British society that Psychology, psychiatry ..and the NHS formerly recognises & condemns this as harmful to children, abuse of target parent.
I'm not convinced the early intervention should sit within Mental Health services. Trauma, early trauma, is often present in mum or dad - and this does need addressing. But facing up to trauma, and dealing with those early life experiences, is often difficult. I do believe that all healthcare (including mental health), education and social care professionals need a better understanding of what parental behaviours have the potential to be harmful, so that they can identify and intervene, or refer, as the earliest opportunity. It is this failure to recognise and act promptly which likely exacerbates the situation for many. I also think there needs to be a societal attitudinal change to call out unacceptable post separation parental behaviours.
What about grandparents in all of this , that once had close loving relationships with their grandchildren, where’s a voice or consideration for the loss of contact for us , what about the mental well being of children suddenly denied a relationship with their grandparents !
Children should be supported to maintain relationships with all those that have been important in their lives. This is recognised in the psychology literature and is often present in local authority work and public law. I hope that you have managed to find some support such as from Grandparents Apart http://grandparentsapart.co.uk/ or Bristal Grandparents Support Group https://bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk/
My current application was made in May 2017. The final hearing was due to be held in February this year (2022) but was postponed to July by the court and then postponed again. I am still waiting for a new date for the final hearing.
I would like to think that this time has been used beneficially to offer support and move things forward for your children. Sadly, I know this is not usually the case.
Thank you sp much for highlighting this. I have been witnessing this and doing my best to bring to attention of those who canassist for a 4 year old little girl given a destabilising contact order because a fact find was not carried out and a catalogue of instances when Mother was let down by services designed to supppport her. Following this suffered 4 yrs of coercian and harrassment despite being seperated. Its always been called a complex case but the childs mental health was not once given the research based consideration it should have had. Next hearing in August.
A full family assessment can be helpful in teasing out the complexities and informing what support or help is needed. But - too often there is little available, appropriate support and a lack of co-ordination in the support offered.
If the Mental Healthcare 'system' could step up roundly to champion and lead the identification and management of emotionally dysfunctional and harmful parenting, wouldn't the legal 'system' have somewhere to appropriately refer these parents & children early on in process?
Universal MH professional ownership of healthy parenting v harmful parenting, emotionally manipulative damage to parent-child dynamics right through to 17 incl., would provide a true approach to this problem, plus demonstrate to all authorities and British society that Psychology, psychiatry ..and the NHS formerly recognises & condemns this as harmful to children, abuse of target parent.
I'm not convinced the early intervention should sit within Mental Health services. Trauma, early trauma, is often present in mum or dad - and this does need addressing. But facing up to trauma, and dealing with those early life experiences, is often difficult. I do believe that all healthcare (including mental health), education and social care professionals need a better understanding of what parental behaviours have the potential to be harmful, so that they can identify and intervene, or refer, as the earliest opportunity. It is this failure to recognise and act promptly which likely exacerbates the situation for many. I also think there needs to be a societal attitudinal change to call out unacceptable post separation parental behaviours.
What about grandparents in all of this , that once had close loving relationships with their grandchildren, where’s a voice or consideration for the loss of contact for us , what about the mental well being of children suddenly denied a relationship with their grandparents !
Children should be supported to maintain relationships with all those that have been important in their lives. This is recognised in the psychology literature and is often present in local authority work and public law. I hope that you have managed to find some support such as from Grandparents Apart http://grandparentsapart.co.uk/ or Bristal Grandparents Support Group https://bristolgrandparentssupportgroup.co.uk/
My current application was made in May 2017. The final hearing was due to be held in February this year (2022) but was postponed to July by the court and then postponed again. I am still waiting for a new date for the final hearing.
I would like to think that this time has been used beneficially to offer support and move things forward for your children. Sadly, I know this is not usually the case.