Laois mother campaigns for more child suicide prevention supports

A Laois single mother of three has begun a campaign to get more in-patient care for Irish children experiencing severe mental distress.

Portarlington resident Lee Van Staden’s youngest daughter is just aged 11, but was admitted to a children's in-patient mental facility in May, after she seriously self harmed twice, and expressed a desire to die.

The little girl has had mental health issues since she was just nine years old, her mother said.

“I think Covid has heightened the anxiety in my children, losing their grandfather to Covid, having to say goodbye to him on a video, and watch his funeral on a live stream.”

Lee claims that for two years, her child had been refused appointments by the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).

She is currently staying in their only facility in Ireland able to take young children, and is the youngest there.

Lee spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live after she had opened her heart in a frank local radio interview on Midlands 103.

Her concern is not just for her own little girl, but for other children.

“It is not the people, it’s the system,” said Lee.

She gave an update on how her daughter is coping.

“It’s up and down. We are taking her home overnight tomorrow and I hope she will be released on Wednesday. She will get follow-up care,” she said.

Lee is from South Africa but the family moved to Portarlington 11 years ago.

“Her school has been amazing. Once they knew, they put in as many resources as they could. They have even sent a care package to her,” she said.

“We come from a family that suffer with mental health, in the women specifically. 

“May bank holiday weekend of last year, I saw for the first time that she had self harmed. I took her straight to Crumlin hospital thinking that it is a children’s hospital, they will have CAMHS on site,” she said.

They waited in hospital throughout the weekend, until a doctor saw the little girl and discharged her, setting up appointments in CAMHS in Portlaoise.

However she said the counselling appointments were six to eight weeks apart, “not really sufficient for a child that is suffering with mental health and does not know how to regulate emotions”. 

Then from last December to March, the child had no counselling sessions and then had to meet a new doctor.

“A three month wait for a child with mental health issues and it’s not good enough,” Lee said.

Her child was still showing serious signs of mental distress.

“We have been presenting ourselves to Portlaoise Paediatrics approximately every second month, whether it was self harming, or suicidal ideation.” 

It culminated on a recent weekend.

The little girl attempted to seriously harm herself. She also wrote a note in case of her death. When her family realised what had happened, her mother rang Portlaoise hospital.

The child was brought in for tests and assessment by an adult’s psychiatrist, to whom she agreed she would not try again.

However just six days later she again made an attempt. 

“I got hold of her phone and her diary, and read ‘I just want to die’. For a mother to read that is very hard. I got her dressed, back to hospital. This time I said ‘I’m not leaving. I can’t keep my child safe at home. If I have to camp out in the waiting room I will do that’.”

They waited all weekend in Paediatrics and on Monday met the head of the CAMHS department.

“She said that Ashley needs an in-patient facility, and said she would ring around. An hour later she told me that because Ashey was not yet 12 years old, only one facility could take her.”

That facility was Linn Dara, in Cherry Orchard hospital in Dublin, which helps children with mental health issues and with eating disorders.

“She didn’t know how long it would take to get her in but assured me we would not be sent home”.

Two days later, a space was found in Linn Dara.

“We are so lucky, and so grateful that she got a bed so quickly. The staff in Portlaoise were surprised, they thought we would be in Portlaoise for at least a month because beds are so scarce.

Lee wants to highlight the lack of supports for children.

“It’s not the doctors or the nurses, In CAMHS they’ve all been amazing. They’ve got empathy, they want to help. But their hands are tied. The system needs to be overhauled.”

She claims that only Linn Dara is not at full capacity, because of staff shortages.

“It’s scary, because there’s so many children out there that need the help,” she said.

Her message is simple to the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE). 

“Overhaul the system. Make facilities available for children of all ages, not just one facility. 

“I’m so lucky that I live in Portarlington and Cherry Orchard is only an hour away. What happens if I was in Kerry or Donegal? 

“If a child is crying out for help, if a school or a doctor is sending a referral, and then to be turned away, it’s devastating to the whole family. It also makes a child feel like they’re just not enough. 

“I am lucky that my daughter has received the help, I am campaigning for all of the other children.

Lee has emailed TDs in Laois and Offaly.

“I am not going to stop until there are more facilities available for our children. it’s not just my daughter who is suffering,” she said. 

A comment has been requested of the HSE.