Urgent Advice Please.

[Chatboo]

Hi
so I am posting on here for the first time ever due to never getting through on the phone lines. It might be long winded please bear with me.
My daughter was removed 4 years ago and officially adopted 3 years ago.

Social had a psychological assessment done on me and I was diagnosed with ptsd due to childhood trauma and EUPD. In the whole court bundle it was recommended that I do 12-16 sessions of EMDR for my ptsd and 2 years of dbt for the emotionally unstable personality disorder.
Now the mental health team who had worked with me for more then social services ever have told me they do not feel I have EUPD anymore and think the diagnose was wrong but I do have personality traits. I mean who doesn't have personality trait? Anyway near the middle of last year I had a breakdown things got tough I missed my daughter and son (he was born sleeping at 17 weeks a year after my daughter) and I think everything finally really hit me with everything that had happened. This prompted another assessment from my mental health team who have now given me a diagnosis of PTSD Major Depressive episodes and Adjustment disorder and new medication. I have been signed of with them due to missing an appointment because of work.
Anyway my question is does the two years of DBT therapy for the Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder still stand? because im finding it hard to get this special therapy for a diagnosis I don't have and therapist have actually turned me away saying that they wont give therapy for a diagnosis that's 4-5years old. I know the EMDR therapy still stands and that is currently being undertaken.

If it doesnt still stand then what will social say if i decide to have another child in the future? Are they gonna say nothings changed because i havent done the therapy they recommened for a diagnosis i dont have anymore?

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Chatboo,
Welcome to the Parents Forum.
My name is Suzie, FRG’s online adviser.
I am so sorry to hear that your daughter was removed from you and adopted and that you suffered the death of your son. Your losses must have been very painful. You also say you suffered trauma as a child. These experiences have meant you need to have treatment from your mental health team (MHT). Recently you had a breakdown and you were given a further diagnosis of PTSD and new diagnoses of major depressive disorder and adjustment disorder. However, your mental health team also say you have traits of EUPD but not do not agree with the original diagnosis of EUPD.
Some of the treatment plan is the same but there are also new treatment options.

It sounds like your mental health team think that you no longer fit the original diagnosis that was given. You think they are right but do not want to go against the original diagnosis. What are your options?

Firstly, I can see why you want to take the therapies that are being offered now. Are you getting better? Ask your MHT to review your progress and also set out a prognosis. This may be the only option (but also a good option) at the moment.
But also explain to your mental health team that if you had to go to court in the future, the same expert might be expected to do a re- assessment of your mental health. Would that expert agree with them-that you have traits of of EUPD only? If the expert is of a high professional standing, then the court is likely to put a lot of weight on their opinion.

Secondly, use the expert report alongside the most recent reports to ask for a second opinion from your team or another hospital. Or ask that you are put forward for the DBT treatment recommended. Contact Rethink for advice about doing this.

It is always a good idea to get copies of assessments that you could show to children services, if you were assessed by them in the future.
you seem to be working incredibly well with your mental health team, so this will go very much in your favour and would be recognised by children services. Children services may assess and decide not to go back to court in the future.
The most important thing is for you to get well and also to be able to ask for support at the times when you are also unwell in the future.

Also seek advice from your solicitor who should know your case well.
Here is an advice sheet from the Transparency Project about expert evidence in court proceedings.


If you need further advice, please post again or call our advice line on 0808 801 0366.
Best wishes,
Suzie