Step Parent rights and custody

[Supporter2025]

i am supporting a friend, whos partner continues to attempt suicide and they just keep sending her home each time. 

The partner is not wanting her to come home anymore as the young children are now starting to be affected.  Does the partner have any rights to refuse her to return home due to safety of her mental health and that of the children?

[tyme]

That's a tough one. So the children belong to her (the one who is not well)? @Supporter2025 

Or do the children belong to both of them?

[Supporter2025]

Yes that's correct. The one who is not well is the biological mother. Hey partner had been around since the kids were young but has no legal custody at this stage. 

She attempts, goes to hospital and they let her out the same day. 

Now they are arguing, sleeping in seperate rooms. Neither willing to

attend counselling. 

It's bad for everyone, but especially the kids.

[tyme]

I see a number of factors taken into consideration here. @Supporter2025 

With parents, the last thing they want is to take the parent away from the children. What they prefer to do (even after an attempt) is to provide after-care services such as HOPE. Usually, there is also a psychiatric triage number she or others can all if there are concerns.

Seeing the partner has no legal custody, the hospital will release the parent.

Another option (if the parent/s are not able to satisfactorily care for the children), is to contact child protection (if you want to go down this path). They will then see kin to care for the children while the parent gets support, OR, the children will be in a foster home.

I've seen this happen to other parents. It's not easy when there are children involved. 

If you have the psychiatric triage number, you can call them and perhaps ask for their advice.

Hope it all goes well. I hear how stressful things can be at the moment.