Michael, thank you for an extremely well presented article. I was engrossed. I will read it many times I think.

During 1997-2002 when I was working as a mental health professional with a highly reputable Community Mental Health Team in NSW I recall a devasated young woman attending our service (by professional referral}. Her child was only about 18 months old. The client had taken her child for over 250 visits to a variety of medical practitioners for assessment since her child's birth.

This mother was distraught. It could have been argued that she was a danger to her child. I guess she was - in the sense that she cared too much and that she had an undiagnosed mental illess.

It was clear that this young mother was experiencing the worst symptoms of obsessive compulsive disorder - so much so - that the child was almost malnourished. The child was not malnourished because the mother did not care. The mother believed that certain foods would contaminate her child - so much so, that even though she was providing her child with plenty of foods which in her belief were "safe", it was clear to the team that the child was "at risk". This occurred before Mandatory Reporting. We did not report the mother to DoCS. We worked as a team to ensure that the mother was helped +++++. We did not label the mother as MSBP.

Maybe we should spend more time examining some of the real medical abuse of children - http://www.munchausenmovie.com - instead of spending so many of our resources labeling and prosecuting mothers and forcing children into a government program.

Thankyou Michael for your article. It does not surprise me at all having experienced being labelled MSBP along with what they term Malicious Mothers Syndrome as well as just plain crazy, vendictive etc.Also acused of Systems Abuse, Emotional Abuse, concerns raised that I would kill my children, with a hint of Doctor Shopping in amongst the cocktail of allegations- none of which were based on FACT. It was later found that my children had been sexually abused and that all the so called professionals and agencies involved where to busy focusing on me the mother and not on what I was saying and my childrens clear disclosures,their behaviours, my real concerns,the long history of DV were all minimised.
I was sent off to a Psychiatrist for 20 months while my children had unsupervised contact where they were sexually, physically emotionally and psychologically abused and I could do nothing about it.
I was threatened that my children would be taken from me by Family Services, who on their initial investigation had recommended supervised contact only for the father.
If I did not comply with court orders,I faced being fined and or imprisioned.

Child Protection in this country is - well lets be realistic there is no child protection in this country. Children are being placed at risk 24/7 and the State and Federal Governments play lipservice to a festering wound instead of legislating to actually protect children.
How can anyone believe that having ongoing contact with a father who has sexually, physically and emotionally abused you is in the best interests of the children- it defies common sense.
Sachiel

Sachiel, I was very moved by your post. I hope that you have managed to overcome such dreadful judgements by so-called professionals and have your children back.

My ex husband was physically abusive - while he never touched my children I knew it would only be a matter of time. I quite literally escaped. I planned it for 12 months. I had a support network in place which was fortunate because on my last night with him, he fractured my skull. I was able to place my babies with friends, seek medical aid and spent some time in a women's refuge.

I moved far away. I have changed all my details. Thus far he hasn't found me.I would never give such a monster access to my children. I don't care what other estranged fathers have to say about this - I wanted to protect my children.

I have created a whole new life for myself and I hope you can do the same.

I recall one experience, some time after I had escaped, I was moving into a flat and, in the confusion of moving furniture, thought my little boy was being monitored by a friend. However, he had wandered off and fell down the concrete steps. He broke his collar bone and had a few bumps and bruises - the hospital I took him to took all my details and because of my circumstances (single mother) I was given the third degree and made to feel like an abusive mother. I did not experience anything like Sachiel, however, I was treated in such a suspicious manner that I can easily picture how such situations as yours and other mothers arise.

Thanks to Michael for an illuminating article

Ringtail, if it's any consolation my son fractured both arms jumping off play equipment some years ago. His mother and I were still together at that stage. I was given a fairly intensive grilling at the hospital and I was told that it was was pretty much standard practice where injured children are involved.

A very nasty feeling to be the target of such a grilling but hopefully not just for single parents.

And I'll leave the mum's keeping kids away from fathers topic alone - your situation sounds very different to what many of us face.

Sachiel - thank you for sharing your devestating scenario. As a Mandatory Reporter NSW 2000 I support your allegations+++

I have cared for familes who could have been treated and labelled as you were. Thankfully our Community Mental Health Team were extremely well educated.

DoCS has a lot to amswer for. I will never forget a home visit with a DoCS assessor. He was about 23 years of age - no understanding, no insight, and definitely no decorum. I was present whilst the mother was being intervied by the DoCs "assessor". The father was also present.

Thank goodness I was present! The father had every right to dispell (punch out) his anger towards the DoCs Assessor!