Fabricated or induced illness – a label ready to be assigned to the history books?

This article examines the flawed foundations and harmful consequences of the Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII) label in child protection and the courts. Introduced by the RCPCH in 2002 FII replaced the discredited term Munchausen’s Syndrome by Proxy but retained its weaknesses: vague definition unsupported alerting signs and a lack of empirical validation. The article traces the evolution of FII and ever-widening definition leading to concerning rates of misidentification—particularly among families of disabled and chronically ill children.

Drawing on case law lived experience and the latest research including an overview of Serious Case Reviews which found no FII-related child deaths in over a decade the article questions the clinical and legal credibility of FII guidance. It argues that the FII label encourages unwarranted intervention undermines parent-advocacy for children ...

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