# Type 1 facing discrimination, help needed



## freedomforcerys (Jun 28, 2012)

Hi Everyone,
I'm a long-term (42 years) Type 1. Have always thought I was managing OK but couldn't get my Hba1s to a decent level. Recently attended a course through my local hospital that completely opened my eyes and within weeks managed to get my Hba down from 9 to 7.3. Brilliant.
Unfortunately I have been going through hell this past year. My youngest daughter now aged 7 1.2 was stolen from me last July by Social Services. I have been batlting through the horrific Family Court system to have her returned to me. The Local Authority claim I have and will harm her in the future. I know this to be untrue but that is a matter for another forum.
I am only allowed to see her during supervised contact sessions. My contact with her has been steadily reduced to 3 hours per month. At my last contact, she asked me if she could test her blod sugar. I had taken my kit out to check my levels, as I have done many times before without any questions being raised. I had told her that the finger prick might hurt a little bit but she didn't mind. I have 2 teenage daughters who both had asked me at around the same age to test their blood and we had done this, to their great delight and amusement. I turned the clicker to the lowest setting and used the least sensitive finger.
However when I was about to do this to my daughter during the contact session, the supervisor, an interfering judgmental busybody who reports everything I do and say to the social workers, told me that she thought this was "very inappropriate" and I couldn't do it. My daughter was visibly annoyed, stomping her feet and making a face. I told her I was sorry and that she should never think there was anything wrong with someone being diabetic.
I have now received an email from a social worker telling me she is "seriously concerned that I tried to test my daughter's blood". Under no corcumstances am I to do this again, and I now apparently have to leave the room to test my sugars. I have told her that it is discrimination to force a diabetic to leave a room to do anything, but haven't had a response. I am going to contact Diabetes UK to confirm that this is in fact legal discirimination as the contact session is  service provided by the local council.
In the meantime however, I wonder if there is anyone who has children that are non-diabetics but like my daughter curious about testing, who have let them try it with no harm or dire consequences, who would be iwlling to send me an email telling me just that and wondering about how anyone is in a position to decide that this is inappropriate or not. 

I need this urgently as am intending on pursuing this legally if possible and want as much hard evidence as possible.

Many thanks in advance,

Maria


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## everydayupsanddowns (Jun 28, 2012)

Hi Maria

Sorry to hear of your troubles. 

I have read some people mentioning that they have used their lancing device (with a new lancet!) on another person, but it should be mentioned that manufacturers always seem to put labels and warnings on the boxes/leaflets to the effect that lancing devices are not intended for use by more than one person (even with a fresh lancet) due to the possibility of cross-contamination by blood traces on/around the end of the device. 

Hope DUK can give you some helpful pointers regarding the legalities of your situation - I have no idea about that I'm afraid.


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## Vicsetter (Jun 28, 2012)

Hi Maria, sorry about your troubles.  
However I don't know why your are testing your children.  If they are not diabetic then you shouldn't be doing it,  your testing kit is not a toy to amuse your children.  If you suspect they may be diabetic then they should see a GP to be diagnosed.

I am not a lawyer but if your child is under the care of Social Services and the Family Court then they decide who can do what to your child.  Consult a solicitor to get this sorted out.
You will be risking  getting your access further restricted if you battle directly with the social workers.


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## freedomforcerys (Jun 28, 2012)

Hi Vic
Your reply made me laugh with the irony.
Of course it's not a toy, but it#s also educational for them to understand. My older daughters both did exactly the same thing, were satisfied with it and never asked again.
actually no despite her having been stolen from me I am in fact still her parent and can decide who can do what to her. They are legally supposed to consult me on all of these things but in fact never do.
Battling with social workers should never be a reason to stop a parent seeing their child. Sadly that is the case here and incredibly draconian.
Thanks again.


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## Ellie Jones (Jun 29, 2012)

Personally I feel that accepting the social worker request would do you more justice than trying to fight against it...  Perhaps just ask that you are able to test your own levels if needs be, as you feel that removing yourself if you need to test might give your daughter that 'mummy' is doing something wrong!

You are in a very difficult, stressful and frightening situation which trying to keep calm is extremely difficult.  Even though it may seem that social services are against you big time they honestly not, they want nothing more to get you back into a position where you can take care of your daughter again...

It sounds as though you've got a very complex case, where assurance and proof is very difficult to establish and I know you feel angry but it's important that you remain calm, as the more you show your wrath towards the social worker, the harder everything is...

Have you got anybody to help you, not just a legal representation for the legal aspect, but an advocacy that can work with you, help you establish support networks etc that you may need so you can work towards resolving this situation as smoothly and quickly as possible.


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## freedomforcerys (Jun 29, 2012)

Ellie Jones said:


> Personally I feel that accepting the social worker request would do you more justice than trying to fight against it...  Perhaps just ask that you are able to test your own levels if needs be, as you feel that removing yourself if you need to test might give your daughter that 'mummy' is doing something wrong!
> 
> You are in a very difficult, stressful and frightening situation which trying to keep calm is extremely difficult.  Even though it may seem that social services are against you big time they honestly not, they want nothing more to get you back into a position where you can take care of your daughter again...
> 
> ...




Hi Ellie
I have solicitors but they can do nothing against the stranglehold of power that the local authority have.
I can assure that they have no intentions whatsoever of trying to return my daughter to me. They want to cut her off from me completely for a year and then let the foster carers they have placed her with, an hour away from us in a small town, apply for a guardianship that will make it impossible for me to get her back.They are ignorant and spiteful and incapable of seeing anything positive about me whatsoever.
I shouldn't need to ask permission to test my sugars when and where I choose. It's not school and we don't choose to have this disease.
Thank you for your thoughts.


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## ageez (Jun 29, 2012)

Hello,
I really sympathise with your frustration and you are absolutely correct that you should be able to test whenever and wherever you like. Perhaps you should assure the social workers that you have no intention of testing your daughter again? Tell them what they want to hear, i.e. that you made a mistake in doing it the first time and that you won't repeat that mistake.  That is probably their concern, that if you take out your glucose testing kit for yourself, you will use it as an opportunity to attempt another test on her. I know that you meant no harm by testing her in the first place, but it isn't normal practise to do so on a non-diabetic child, so they are uncomfortable with you doing so. Could you put that in writing for them? Unfortunately, it sounds like if you want to maintain contact with your child in the long term, you will have to eat a bit of humble pie. Good luck.


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## Tina63 (Jul 2, 2012)

I promise I am not being judgmental, but I guess with it being social services, this could be classed as child abuse.  Wouldn't be at all surprised.  Inflicting physical pain (finger pricker) however minor, would be classed as abuse in their eyes, I could quite see.  So, my advice would be to not fight the right to do that.  Chalk it up to experience but never attempt such a thing again with social services watching your every move.


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## novorapidboi26 (Jul 2, 2012)

My sympathies go out to you........

I test my 3 year olds blood from time to time, there is nothing wrong with it all, in my opinion anyway, there is no pain inflicted at all......obviously in the scenario you are going through the authorities need to cover their backs etc, definitely crap though.....


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## Type1oClock (Jul 3, 2012)

I was told that I should never use my finger pricker on anyone else because tiny specs of blood and skin shoot into the actual tester.

Even if I change the lancet, they advised me to use a clean lancet but not the actual machine on anyone apart from me.


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## MeganN (Jul 4, 2012)

Our Mum used to test us every now and again. Always made us prick our own fingers though she never forced us.

It meant it was slightly less scarey when I was diagnosed. Although I am still a pathetic wimp with any type of needle!


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