Statement of Daniel Nicholas Caffells day time foster carer.

[ILB]

I think it was a bit of both, Jane. She was protective of them around other people, but the lethargy induced by the Haloperidol caused her to oversleep in the mornings, which meant the twins had to fend for themselves and were late to school for a period.

Her mental health was shattered.

All descriptions of her are of being " scatty, unable to maintain work, dizzy, " etc.

How can a lady have confidence when her nearest and dearest don't think much about her in terms of practical capabilities? Her relationship with Nevill was warm and probably was the most comforting point. Jeremy and June were not warm to her.

She came from a family of practical strong headed women. June, AE PB, MS. She wasn't in the same mould of them. And I believe they never failed ( in particular June or course ) to remind her or her shortcomings and how " she was expected to be" ( which of course she wasn't in reality)

Her confidence would have been at the lowest from adolescence till death. Meeting Colin and having the boys the soul joy of her troubled life.

[Steve_uk]

Her mental health was shattered.

All descriptions of her are of being " scatty, unable to maintain work, dizzy, " etc.

How can a lady have confidence when her nearest and dearest don't think much about her in terms of practical capabilities? Her relationship with Nevill was warm and probably was the most comforting point. Jeremy and June were not warm to her.

She came from a family of practical strong headed women. June, AE PB, MS. She wasn't in the same mould of them. And I believe they never failed ( in particular June or course ) to remind her or her shortcomings and how " she was expected to be" ( which of course she wasn't in reality)

Her confidence would have been at the lowest from adolescence till death. Meeting Colin and having the boys the soul joy of her troubled life.

All that is true, but I don't think it can bring on schizophrenia, or there would be far more cases than the 1 in 100 statistic. She was stabilized with medication and she had a support network of sorts. She was the one who wanted to live in London, it was her choice, a choice which wasn't open at that stage to her brother.

[ILB]

All that is true, but I don't think it can bring on schizophrenia, or there would be far more cases than the 1 in 100 statistic. She was stabilized with medication and she had a support network of sorts. She was the one who wanted to live in London, it was her choice, a choice which wasn't open at that stage to her brother.

Well what can bring on schizophrenia? We are all born innocent babes in arms. It's our upbringing and experiences that shape us unless it can be scientifically proven we are disposed to schizophrenia. Which I personally don't believe so.

[ILB]

I personally believe she was a fully fledged drug addict. Smoking cocaine, sniffing, whatever.Which was hushed up by Nevill and June. I am not painting Shelia badly for this. She is not the first and won't be the last.

Jeremy has commented upon this. Having admitted taking drugs with Shelia. The drugs excabarated her mental health problems. It's just my opinion.

I am not saying this in detriment to Shelia before anybody jumps on my back. I am not championing Bambers innocence on this fact. But I believe it is fact. I believe along with problems with June it's a massive factor.

[Steve_uk]

Well what can bring on schizophrenia? We are all born innocent babes in arms. It's our upbringing and experiences that shape us unless it can be scientifically proven we are disposed to schizophrenia. Which I personally don't believe so.

The nature vs. nurture debate. I don't think Christine suffered from any form of mental illness. We don't know any medical details on her biological father. We do know June suffered bouts of mental illness. The "Devil's child" remark wouldn't have helped.

[ILB]

The nature vs. nurture debate. I don't think Christine suffered from any form of mental illness. We don't know any medical details on her biological father. We do know June suffered bouts of mental illness. The "Devil's child" remark wouldn't have helped.

I personally don't believe in any genetic cause.

It happened post adoption.

[Jane]

I personally don't believe in any genetic cause.

It happened post adoption.

There has been found to be a possible link between adopted children and schizophrenia.

[ILB]

There has been found to be a possible link between adopted children and schizophrenia.

Not claiming there hasn't Jane. But I don't personally believe such a theory.

Strongly believe such problems formulate later on.

I'm very skeptical of mental health diagnosises. It doesn't colour my view however.

[Rob_]

There has been found to be a possible link between adopted children and schizophrenia.

No there hasn't Jane, children of healthy parents with no history of schizophrenia then adopted by a family in which one of the adoptee parents went on to develop schizophrenia did not have an increased risk of developing the disease.

[Jane]

No there hasn't Jane, children of healthy parents with no history of schizophrenia then adopted by a family in which one of the adoptee parents went on to develop schizophrenia did not have an increased risk of developing the disease.

I helped with work on a paper dedicated to the theory. Naturally there were variables. In this case, the double bind -mixed messages given to some (adopted) children- resulting in confusion, which may contribute to schizophrenia. Of course, the same may be said to apply to all children, but the paper was specifically about adoptees.

[Rob_]

I helped with work on a paper dedicated to the theory. Naturally there were variables. In this case, the double bind -mixed messages given to some (adopted) children- resulting in confusion, which may contribute to schizophrenia. Of course, the same may be said to apply to all children, but the paper was specifically about adoptees.

Thanks Jane if you have expert knowledge of schizophrenia please share it with us.

I do quite a bit of research but I don't get much time due to work.

[Jane]

Thanks Jane if you have expert knowledge of schizophrenia please share it with us.

I do quite a bit of research but I don't get much time due to work.

From what I gathered, and it was back in the mid 90's so probably more research has been done since, this was about how the child was mothered. Whilst the majority of adopting mothers do an excellent job at being "good enough", those who are less confident find it hard to know how to be with the child. Mothering doesn't come naturally to them. The child seeks the mother's approval, but is often met with dismissive, even angry, response. The child walks away, upset because it doesn't understand what it has done wrong. Mother, feeling guilty, then overwhelms the child with affection. The message being it will only receive affection and approval by making mother angry.

Of course, the mother's behaviour isn't something she's pulled out of the ether. It probably replicates her own upbringing.

[Hardy Boy]

I helped with work on a paper dedicated to the theory. Naturally there were variables. In this case, the double bind -mixed messages given to some (adopted) children- resulting in confusion, which may contribute to schizophrenia. Of course, the same may be said to apply to all children, but the paper was specifically about adoptees.

Hi Jane, i read that there was a possible link between schizophrenia and epilepsy,  is this something you have come accross?

[Jane]

Hi Jane, i read that there was a possible link between schizophrenia and epilepsy,  is this something you have come accross?

I haven't, but those who I had experience of frequently went walkabout once their meds kicked in and they were feeling better. Without meds, they quickly became unstable. In all cases they were angry with their adopted mothers and reacted quite violently when reunited. None, that I had experience of were medicated by injection.