30 May 2024 Katie MADDEN · Prevention of Future Deaths report Suffolk
View report summary
Concerns raised 7 Failure to assess additional risks to vulnerable parents in safeguarding referrals concerning their children View source Failure to provide additional support for vulnerable recipients of a ‘Claires Law’ Domestic Violence Disclosure during child-care investigations View source Failure of the funding pathway to provide access to specialist psychological treatment View source Unavailability of Schema-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy on the NHS View source Lack of risk assessment of vulnerable parents’ mental health and physical wellbeing at Public Law Outline notification View source Lack of independent Social Services support for vulnerable parents View source Lack of independent professional holistic case review for vulnerable parents View source See 4 more concerns
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
No linked response statements No action or position from this recipient is clearly linked to the concerns in this report.
×
AI-generated summary
Katie MADDEN · Prevention of Future Deaths report
This summary was generated using AI from the published report. Please read the original report for the complete account.
Report summary
Katie Madden was declared deceased on 4 June 2023 after being found hanging, following a history of mental health conditions, domestic violence, and a toxic relationship. The report identified concerns about the lack of systems to assess and support her vulnerability during child-care proceedings and safeguarding processes, the absence of independent Social Services support, and difficulties obtaining funding for recommended psychological treatment.
Read the report on judiciary.uk
× Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Failure to assess additional risks to vulnerable parents in safeguarding referrals concerning their children
Wider context from the report “4. Safeguarding referrals made the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub in respect of Kate’s children were viewed in isolation , with no system in place to assess any additional risks posed to Kate herself . There were no additional steps, or risk assessments undertaken in relation to Kate , even though she was a recipient of a ‘Claires Law’ Domestic Violence Disclosure and therefore known to be more vulnerable.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Failure to provide additional support for vulnerable recipients of a ‘Claires Law’ Domestic Violence Disclosure during child-care investigations
Wider context from the report “1. No evidence was seen that recipients of a ‘Claires Law’ Domestic Violence Disclosure are treated as being of greater vulnerability, or at a higher risk, when Child Services are undertaking investigations regarding the provision of children’s care, and removal of the children from a parent is being considered . It was heard in evidence that the Social Worker appointed to this case, quite properly focused on what was in the best interest of Kate’s children. There was however no formal system in place to provide additional support for Kate herself, even though she was known to be vulnerable.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Failure of the funding pathway to provide access to specialist psychological treatment
Wider context from the report “5. In 2022 it was recognised by a Clinical Psychologist that Kate could benefit from Schema-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which is not routinely available on the NHS.
The psychological review had been ordered by the Family Court, and funding for this course needed to be applied for.
Applying for funding involved requests to the Legal Aid Board, Integrated Care Board (Individual Funding Request), Wellbeing Service and Social Services, none of whom provided the funding, with each suggesting contacting one of the other agencies involved .
An experienced mental health clinician with many years’ experience described the ‘whole route as very complicated’ and ‘it was difficult to find a solution for funding ’. In addition, funding was very rarely made available , and as a service they were usually unable to meet patient expectations (who believe a treatment might be made available), where in reality it almost certainly would not be available.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Unavailability of Schema-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy on the NHS
Wider context from the report “5. In 2022 it was recognised by a Clinical Psychologist that Kate could benefit from Schema-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which is not routinely available on the NHS .
The psychological review had been ordered by the Family Court, and funding for this course needed to be applied for.
Applying for funding involved requests to the Legal Aid Board, Integrated Care Board (Individual Funding Request), Wellbeing Service and Social Services, none of whom provided the funding, with each suggesting contacting one of the other agencies involved.
An experienced mental health clinician with many years’ experience described the ‘whole route as very complicated’ and ‘it was difficult to find a solution for funding’. In addition, funding was very rarely made available, and as a service they were usually unable to meet patient expectations (who believe a treatment might be made available), where in reality it almost certainly would not be available.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of risk assessment of vulnerable parents’ mental health and physical wellbeing at Public Law Outline notification
Wider context from the report “2. It was identified that when Kate was informed there may be an application to the Family Court to place her children into care (using the Public Law Outline process), the impact of such a decision on her mental health, or physical wellbeing was not taken into consideration . As a recipient of a ‘Claires Law’ Domestic Violence Disclosure, it was acknowledged that she was of greater vulnerability, but no system is currently in place which allows a risk assessment to be undertaken at the time the Public Law Outline notification is given to a parent . The day after Kate was told of the Public Law Outline notification, she had intentionally crashed her car in an unsuccessful attempt to end her life, requiring 4 weeks in an Intensive Treatment Unit to recover from the serious injuries she received.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of independent Social Services support for vulnerable parents
Wider context from the report “3. Once the Public Law Outline process was initiated, independent legal advice was provided, and a voluntary sector advocate supported Kate through the legal process. However, Katie received no independent support from Social Services , and had no independent professional to undertake a holistic review of her case, in light of her known circumstances and vulnerabilities. It was heard that mental health professionals had assumed that she had a Social Worker of her own, and expressed surprise when finding out that she did not.
” Open source report × Source evidence
How this individual concern was interpreted PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. The report was sent to NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board; that does not assign responsibility.
PFD Monitor interpretation Lack of independent professional holistic case review for vulnerable parents
Wider context from the report “3. Once the Public Law Outline process was initiated, independent legal advice was provided, and a voluntary sector advocate supported Kate through the legal process. However, Katie received no independent support from Social Services, and had no independent professional to undertake a holistic review of her case, in light of her known circumstances and vulnerabilities . It was heard that mental health professionals had assumed that she had a Social Worker of her own, and expressed surprise when finding out that she did not.
” Open source report
Pin
Request correction
Information checked against published PFD reports and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations