Thank you for posting this fantastic video on such an incredibly destructive social situation, Sinclair’s Law. The UK should have learned its lesson after the humiliating Meadows Law dictum, but sadly it’s been repackaged to continue the witch hunt against parents with genuine concerns about their children’s presentations and/or who are disabled themselves with heritable conditions, that currently do not have any biological diagnostic tests, even though research is being conducted on these conditions across the World on the symptoms the children present with. In a recent case, mother has a hypermobility heritable condition, and she lost custody of her child, because the child was complaining of growing pains. The mother took the child to the GP on four occasions over an eight year period, coerced by the dad. Unbeknownst to the mother, the father had spent the majority of the child’s life making allegations against the mother as part of his plan to profit from the sale of the mothers house upon gaining custody of the child. Four gp visits was enough because of the ambiguity in the RCPCH guidance. Courts are running blindly into judgements when they apply the RCPCH guidance to Fabricated or Induced Illness allegations, which can only be considered as detrimental to the child. In that case, the mother was not allowed to call the gp who had posited that the she and the father, who covertly told the gp the mother was making their child’s growing pains up, to give evidence, because it was in private proceedings and counsel for the father did not agree to the mother calling the gp to testify. The mother was the sole owner of the FMH, bought before meeting the father, and due to the equity in the property being in excess of £500k, the mother a disabled litigant in person was unable to get legal aid, the father had covertly applied for a home rights order. The gp did not follow any of the local safeguarding procedures, she did not refer the child to a paediatrician, instead the gp when asked by social services after the father made covert allegations to the local authority, if the gp knew of any safeguarding concerns, stated that she and the father “think the mother might have Munchausen’s By Proxy”. When family courts accept four visits to a gp for growing pains over such a long time span as enough evidence to substantiate conjecture to the detriment of the child, all hope is lost that these are courts of facts, instead they become courts of opinion. The RCPCH owe a duty of care not just to the child but also to the parents to provide robust, peer reviewed guidance, as well as appropriate training and support to the judiciary who are making life changing decisions based on their inadequate and misleading guidance, that they acknowledge is now a tool for medical professionals who have attained an appropriate level of competence in this field. However acknowledging that the guidance may have been misused, particularly in cases of complaints against professionals or by an abusive parent, does not give these children their lives back. It certainly does not erase the devastating impact of being removed from their mothers, because when guidance that states that mothers who have previously miscarried, automatically meet the criteria for FII, this clearly cannot continue to be guidance any professional should rely on in safeguarding cases. Fingers crossed that these parents and their children will be able to afford your company’s services for the future Judicial Review that no doubt will happen, for the devastation the local authority, RCPCH and the family courts are causing to children. Thank you all.

For anyone coming to this, the list of current agreements is here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/dedicated-schools-grant-very-high-deficit-intervention And the national Stop Safety Valve petition is now live and we need support from all parents, carers, teachers, TAs etc so that people pay attention. Please spread the word! petition.parliament.uk/petitions/659401

Very informative but also, extremely concerning. I couldn't see the gov. link to check what councils have these, please provide.

I am noting that bankrupt cities are not making their Safety Valve contracts made available for scrutiny.

Thanks all for this - Rachel, you are awesome, thank you for speaking up so eloquently about what you're seeing in your LA. We need a properly funded system, but I feel we need something more radical - what if every teacher was (re)trained from the start to be a teacher of SEND first and foremost? When you understand how the brain develops, trauma, motor skills development, play development, emotional development, pedagogy and adaptive pedagogy, SAL development, etc, then EVERY CHILD BENEFITS. Following SEND training, teachers can then specialise by subject and/or age range, including additional tailoring to meet the learning and inclusion needs of specific age ranges. It feels that the pedagogy part of teaching has been lost, but if we went back and made training brain and development-based with a clear focus on pedgagogy, what might be achieved? Kinder, calmer and more inclusive schools that cause less trauma, less anxiety, and achieve better results so fewer children's needs escalate to the point of needing specialist support, or worse, escalating to the point of crisis. If we radically change the profession of teaching, then the outdated school system would need to change too. Everyone would win and, over time, the cost burden on the system should reduce too.

Another aspect which is very short sighted, is the damage done to autistic children’s mental health, by forcing them into mainstream environments when they simply can’t cope with it. Many end up suicidal and or needing expensive SEMH placements when less costly options might have been ok had they been offered in a timely fashion. Many autistic children are simply withdrawn from the education system altogether by parents opting to home educate without any funding whatsoever. The delays in getting autism and adhd assessments are measured in years rather than weeks or months, which is compounding the problem, despite the adage that ‘children’s needs should be met even without a diagnosis.’ There’s a whole cohort of autistic children who can’t cope in mainstream secondary environments, but manage okay at primary. Surely one way of saving money in the longer term is to have one or two mainstream secondary schools in the county which run on a primary school model ie smaller schools, children have a ‘home’ classroom and ‘home’ tutor. This could be based on their specific learning style. They should be able to keep these throughout their school journey. Freedom to wear what they find comfortable, autonomy to take jumpers off if they’re hot, and to go to the toilet when they need too. All staff should receive autism and learning disability training eg the Oliver McGowan training that NHS staff have to have. It wouldn’t suit everyone, but it would be an option for many others. I could go on!!! (Weary AuDHD mum of two AuDHD children, 15 and 12 who has been doing battle with the NHS and the LA for almost 16 years. Eldest is currently in section 41 specialist provision out of county; youngest currently not attending mainstream after three years of declining attendance. The battle continues!)

There’s approximately 24 FII appeal cases in the UK from the past few years alone and the figures are set to grow exponentially. I lost custody for taking child to gp four times for growing pains (I have hypermobility and arthritic conditions etc) and I couldn’t spell intolerance so put allergy on a form over an eight year period. Boom lost custody, no legal assistance, no nationally accepted guidelines, policies or procedures. No paediatrician involved because courts have no FII or MSBP court based procedures in determining malicious or genuine medical abuse to vulnerable individuals, regardless of their age. There’s going to be a mushrooming of damaged children with severely compromised medical records by the lack of any agreed medical guidance or worse judicial guidance.

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The irony. Hang on🤔 Label a parent of having a non existant disease the health care professionals have made up because they don't know what the real problems is with the child so they're accusing the parent of making it up. Yeh. I only ever experience one case of "Munchausens" as a student. Was told all about how this woman made up her symptoms, turns out she had a brain tumour, which they diagnosed then rolled there eyes because now woman wouldn't believe the professionals diagnosing her with Munchausens!!! Eh!

It isn’t the fear of being criticised (which you mention a lot) - it’s the fear that my vulnerable child will be hurt/traumatised by inappropriate behaviour during assessment. (Eg a bedroom inspection when it is their safe space, and they don’t give permission or aren’t even asked.)

Amazing and this is true awareness. Correct..they don't view our special needs children as equal or give parents what they need. Thank you for lifting your voice.❤

What I don't understand is why they are able to get away with such blatantly discriminatory advice. How can they single out autistic people as being particular dangers to children without backing that with evidence, and get away with it? Do they really not realize when writing that, how blatantly discriminatory and prejudiced that is?

My eldest had a SEN as registered blind , they failed her and she left two weeks into year 11 as she was put into isolation for her own safety . I have my records of all her school years . All her Sen’s , all school emails internal emails also and I would love to take Kcc to court for failing her . Now tho I have my 13 year old who’s registered blind also and has high needs funding of £22.600 a year with a ehcp and a 1-1 . I can’t cope a second time round in fighting my LA . I literally broke my family up in 2015 when social services wouldn’t help me to get my daughter to school and said I’m not a responsible mother if I don’t get my children to school . I had a breakdown . This time round I’ve got transport payments but only as the crow flys which is about 3 times extra if added the only way I can drive as the way the crow flys is over hills no roads . I’m begging for help as my 13 year is refusing school as they are discriminating her by not doing the enlarged work for her . All the prep for a blind child . Never done . My daughter just sits there some days . At the moment there’s no 1-1 that’s hers as the last one left and this has caused my daughter to not want to go . She’s sick most mornings through anxiety . It’s horrible as both my girls were born sighted and by age 8 both registered blind with stargardts .

This episode has been highly informative and very useful indeed.

My 14 yo autistic daughter has been out of education in wales for over a year now. The ALENCO is completely clueless

Super helpful, thank you for putting this together!

Fantastic insights, thank you Mike and Chris!

Huge issues of systemic dangerous practices within transition from children's to adult services for disabled without capacity.

Please can you put the links to the resources here.

Social seveices referred to my son as a burden. Yet our only burden is them.

In mentioning EHCP with SC, lots of talk about Children’s needs, but of course the EHCP includes young people to age 25. Yet do young people 18-25 have same rights? 🥴

Very useful, thank you all so much

Great video.

In the ME community the Royal College of Paediatric and Child Health even after the Guidelines changed they refused to stop FII or looking at safeguarding first so is there a case in their attitude determination ?

Highly insightful information yet again! Thank you for all that you are doing!!

I myself cannot agree that to continue in ignorance following unlawful policy that parents are often highlighting actual law and resources. I fully appreciate the diffuctues in roles and how life could be made diffcult for them to follow law rather than policy. However as human beings we have to make a choice. Thank you for doing this particular video. What we find is that there is very little for complex needs. These called " short breaks activities " are not really reflective of children's interests , and nor able to support those with more complex support needs. It seems they miss that disabled children still have a range if interests that are reflective of non disabled children of their age. There are options however there is this blanket view, we provide what we provide and you must fit. Which is not lawful... In term of the CIN assessment. They do not explain the relevant law nor follow it. How hard is it to follow the clear list of the chronically sick and disabled persons act. I have from the beginning told them law and sent them law and resources... Unless you can get legal help or pay d ok t assessments needed and potentially a solicitor, even if only for part, then the journey is ardouous and cyclical. Let us dispense with " do not know, don't get training " it is on professions, therpists ect to keep up to date, follow the law , align with the professional bodies and licencing bodies... And all will say " must work under the relevant law" they will all say " must do cpd to keep up to date. The BASW did a paper re FII as you know, yet it's still used.

My daughter has EDS and POTS and I too was accused :(

This happened to me 3 years ago in Scotland - my child was very sick with POTS and the system attacked me. I ran home to Canada and am now writing a book about my experiences.

I'm frustrated by seeking videos on Fabricated illness because everyone speaks of the "by proxy" definition but does not address the psychology of individuals who feign illness/conditions in themselves.

Thank you so much for sharing this. We had many similar experiences. My daughter did year 10 and 11 at a medical education unit after missing several months of school. She is autistic and has OCD. So glad you had The Vibe.

Michael, any chance you could help us too?

Thank you for sharing such a story

Thank you for sharing

Well done Kaydi and her Mum 👍🏻

I am a parent of a SEN child that has been failed by the Welsh school discussed in this report. I've raised a complaint requesting a full investigation into the ALN department failing mine and other SEN children. This is all covered up. Thank you so much for this much needed exposure of shocking practices, poor teaching and the complete lack of understanding by the ALN department to recognise or understand children.

Thank you Micheal. Happy you decided to continue with the Education programme, very informative for Parents, Carers, Teachers, EA, Professionals, Therapists. Jane is 100% Accurate!!!

Thank you for this VT it has been very valuable tool and helped me with my work as a McKenzie Friend.

Thank you

Spot on, I simply love to hear you guys talk and having so much insight in what our children face day in and day out. Sadna,👍

Schools/LA/professionals are now getting together and using fii on families for families with multiple children with SEND, and for children whom 'mask' in school, and putting families on CIN and child protection plans and this prevents families getting the health, social care, medical needs met. If parents go independently this will be used as Fii, if parents put in compliants this is Fii..there is no accountability no evedience needed..this is scary times when parents voices are not being heard. Parents are the experts of there children

How long should a parent wait on a idp when it was agreed the child should have one

I was accused of Fii...I was Taken to court for a care order by SS/CP..My sons father who lived in london and is a police officer for Scotland Yard quickly came and took our son from N.ire where we lived .. to stop SS taking him. Took Judge 6 minutes to rip into SS and tell them all their failures and actually apologise to us parents and thank us for attending ( we took a flight from London back to N.Ire to attend hearing) SS in London found NO CONCERNS, They arranged for son to attend Private Special school for children with Autism & SLD & ADHD. I was fighting with EA & SS for 4 years for a school place. Our son was diagnosed in NHS by multidisciplinary team of specialists non verbal severe ASD.DD.SLD APD.SPD...SS decided he longer had LD or ASD, SW just didnt see it!!! My son always had a disability SW but was taken of us when I took him out of school and CP were brought in . 😱

So much love Julia Caro, so much truth.

This is the Professional proceedure = Pass the Buck, Blame the Parents, pass the buck , blame the parents and so on.

Autistic & LD CYP suffering from mental distress & Anxiety due to environmental or lack of experienced services also will get physical illness such as Cyclic Vomitting Syndrome. Eating disorders to name just 2.

God I work with autism children and no way one in six have been removed for FII

Special Educational Needs in the Early Years stage kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJK5qX2EmL6Gh7c

Julia I feel your pain. I pray you will get listened to via this Chanel. We do all need to stand up.

CAMHS in Wrecsam actually use private assessments as a way to lessen the very long waiting list in some cases that contradicts the educations policy of refusing to listen to private assessments!

Unbelievable wokery! Lies lies and more lies!