How to get through this?

[worriedmother9]

It all started 23rd June, but in reality started when we bought our baby a play pen, in order to keep her safe. Our baby was 7 months old then, on track for a lot of milestones and flourishing. On this day, i had got up with the baby at 6am and by the time she was ready for her nap, i was ready for a nap too. My partner got up with the baby and this is where our situation with social services, hospital and court started. My partner put the baby in the playpen, just as he put the dog outside, and when he came back, she had rolled over and got stuck. Emotionally reacting like she was in imediate danger, he twisted her round by her leg, and pulled her towards him. In order to grab her out of the playpen. During this, he heard a crack of her leg. Now, straight away he told me about the noise in the leg and that he was worried, but did not tell me the whole story until 2 days later. So, during that day, he was saying that he was worried and i was looking out for signs she wasnt well, or in discomfort or pain. I didnt see any signs at this point. She slept fine, ate fine, I even took her to see my mam and dad, where she was fine. It wasnt until 9.30pm, when she woke up, which she wouldnt usually do, that i now saw that this was odd. We phoned 111 and was advised to go to a and e. We went for an x ray, where it was concerned that my baby had suffered a fracture of her femur. We sat in a hospital room for hours, while the baby slept. That was until a social worker and 6 police officers turned up. Taking the baby, making her cry, and taking my partner and i away in handcuffs. Since then we saw our baby 3 times a week for 4 hours in total, in hospital. Then in a contact centre, as she has gone to foster care. I over think everything, and worry why she was taken to foster care, when i put great family members forward, to be assesed, with nit picky reasons why they couldnt. We have been nothing but complient throughout. Have been completely honest and just looking for reasurace, if anything. Has anyone been through some thing that was accidental, and getting through it with a positive outcome. Does anyone have any hints or tips, or advice how we are going to get through this, i would be so greatful. Thanks in advance

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear worriedmother9

Thank you for your post and welcome to the Board.

I am sorry to hear about your daughter’s injury and hope to be able to answer some of the questions you have. If the injury is (or has been) found to be a non-accidental one then perhaps you and your partner are in the ‘pool of perpetrators’ and it may be likely that a court case has begun or may begin. You can find more information about care proceedings in our advice sheet Care (and related) proceedings.

From what you have said your partner tried to free your baby from the play pen and heard her leg make a sound. You may want to find out from the manufacturer of the play pen whether other young children have been trapped in them before. As far as your partner’s account of what happened prior to hearing the sound her leg made, has he been able to say what amount of ‘force’ (if any) he had to use to free your daughter: if so was the amount of force (if any) used consistent with what the paediatricians say could account for a fracture? It is clear from what you write that your partner was worried about your daughter, has he been able to say why he waited some time before giving you the full account of the incident, his delay in talking to you will be considered a concern by the professionals involved in the case.

In relation to contact with your daughter and the way Children’s Services should be working with you, our advice sheet about Duties on Children’s Services when children are in the care system may be useful as may the one about Relatives and friends taking on the care of a vulnerable child in an emergency.

There are a couple of websites that might be useful to you too, they are Child Protection Resource and information about fractures may be found at Parents Accused.

I hope this information is helpful, if you would like to speak with one of our advisers on our helpline the number is free to most mobiles and all landlines and is 0808 801 0366, lines are open Monday to Friday, 9.30am – 3.00pm.

Best wishes

Suzie