Arguments for risk
- Jones clearly and demonstrably loves her children.
- While there were concerns about her partner's alcohol abuse and
violence there was no evidence that he had hurt the children; he
continues to live nearby and Jones views him as a stabilising
element in her life.
- Although the children's schooling in particular has suffered
from poor parenting, they were never abused or at serious risk -
except of neglect.
- While no one yet knows why she had a serious mental health
problem, it appears that medication has helped Jones to vastly
improve her behaviour.
- She is likely to maintain this improvement as the prospects of
having her children returned to her improve.
- She has now accepted that she needs parenting classes and has
begun to receive them.
- She, and the children, continue to be monitored closely.
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Arguments against risk
- As the eldest child is 14, Jones has had ample opportunity to
parent adequately so there must be doubts about her ever learning
to be a good parent.
- Her eldest child had developed an unhealthy attachment to his
mother and may still be in danger of adopting a "young carer"
role.
- The two younger children had learned to cope with her bizarre
behaviour by becoming de-sensitised towards it, which could have
serious long-term consequences.
- Her relationship with an alcohol-abusing and violent partner
continues. If, as seems likely, the current improvement in her
beliefs and behaviour depends on her continuing to take medication,
there will always be a risk if she stops taking it.
- There is a possibility that through experience of the care
system she has simply learned to find a way of keeping her children
from ever learning to be good parents.
