It''s been a bad few weeks - advice?

The thing is people don''t always act rationally but it doesn''t necessarily make them mentally ill. For example, when someone dies their spouse may be angry at them for dying or at nursing/medical staff for letting them die. Or when spouses/partners separate they tend to interpret the past differently and see their ex in a distorted and negative image. Hence you will often hear someone describing an ex they have lived with happily for many years as always a drunk, ***** or a nutter. That is just a human response to the situation they are in.

It is also a human response to react to criticism with resentment and resistance.

If you have concerns about the children I think you have to plug away at social services to monitor the situation. When children are assessed as being at risk of harm social services put measures in place if possible to support good enough parenting. The role of an Approved Mental Health Professional can be undertaken by a social worker who has been trained in assessing mental health.

Fiona, can I offer you a job as the good conscience on my shoulder?

Social services have been less than helpful so far in dealing with my concerns. It doesn''t help that she keeps moving to different local authorities (3 in the last 12 months) so it''s quite hard for anyone to be keeping track.

As most of my evidence came from text messages etc during the relationship they are now generally considered ''out of date'' by social services. Unfortunately my ex hasn''t sought any treatment since those text messages and so I''m concerned that it''s an ongoing problem, and recent behaviour hasn''t really changed my mind.

Still I will try to keep in mind what you say. It''s very hard to keep a check on the veracity of my own perceptions because of course everyone involved in a situation like this becomes polarised, and the people around me don''t often challenge a view but reinforce it instead.