'Without the police, I wouldn't be here': Caller says lack of support from social services led to a suicide attempt

26 July 2023, 16:46

By Grace Parsons

Due to lack of support from social services, this special guardianship owner attempted suicide after having to "give up" his adopted child because of "violent behaviour".

It has been reported that police officers in England will no longer respond to mental health calls if there is no risk to life or crime being committed.

This caller, who attempted suicide after having to give up his adopted child, told Shelagh Fogarty that had it not been for the police responding to his wife's 999 call, he "would not be here" today.

Simon, who is a special guardianship owner, told Shelagh that the child had been removed from his birth family and he and his wife had been his adopted parents for four and a half years.

Simon shared: "We've had the child since he was one, he'd been through quite a traumatic beginning.

"We've had him for four and a half years and his behaviours were quite violent - black eyes for me, biting, kicking and we weren't getting any support from social services.

"We were reaching the point where we would've had to give him up and the pain of losing him, the thought of losing him got too much."

Simon revealed that part of the problem was that they weren't receiving support from social services, despite requesting help multiple times, which led to him "reaching breaking point".

He elaborated further: "We just couldn't handle the behaviours, we didn't get any training, and there's no respite or therapy, which would've been needed to help manage the behaviours."

Simon choked up when he told Shelagh that he and his wife had to "give the child up", however, he did mention that they still see the child on a weekly basis.

"About five weeks ago, I attempted suicide and then I ran from the house, my partner called the police and I was unconscious at that point somewhere on the road and if the police hadn't come, if they hadn't responded, I wouldn't have been here."

Simon emphasised: "I love him, he's my boy, he calls me dad and it's just so tough, we just needed that support to be able to do it. To get to that point where I could've left my other kids without a dad and my partner without me.

"If not for the police coming that day, I would not be here."