grandmother contact
Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2017 2:57 pm
Hi,
We have a child under a care order, after a long process in court that last more than one year.
From the judgement:
Type of order
1) All parties are agreed that there should be a care order.
2) I also agree.
3) In due course, I very much hope that the ongoing need for such an invasive order evaporates. In the meantime, this is a family in need of significant intervention by social services, in providing advice, in referring to more expert services, CAMHS for example, if needed, in supervising contact and in convening 3-monthly (as is agreed) Looked After Child reviews in order to ensure that X’s needs remain appropriately assessed and at the forefront of planning and service provision.
4) Subject to the various amendments which have been made orally through the course of the hearing and which can be included in a final document in due course, I approve the local authority care plan.
Conclusions as to X’s Future; Orders
5) I consider that X’s welfare dictates that he should move from the care of her maternal grandparents to live in the family of Mr and Mrs ZZ.
6) I am firmly of the view that a care order is, at least for the time being, required in order to safeguard X’s interests.
7) I approve the care plan as amended and in particular the proposals for contact between X and Grandmother.
8) Accordingly I make a care order in favour of XPTO Council.
From the Care plan:
Is therefore proposed that X is placed with Mr and Mrs ZZ's care under the auspices of a Care Order. It is felt that at this stage the tension between family members may get further strained if X is to move to Mr and Mrs ZZ's care.
Therefore local authority proposed that a Care Order is to be granted in respect of X for one year to ensure that X is settled in her new placement and the required support is offered to X and the family. this will also give local authority an opportunity to oversee and monitor future contact arrangements between X and extended family, especially grandmother.
...
Mr and Mrs ZZ are pleased with the proposed plan and stated they are happy to look after X long term. Initially this will be if agreed by the court under the auspices of a care order however they would hope than in the not too distant future this order be discharged in favour of a Special Guardianship Order. the Local authority propose that a period of 9 to 12 months would be appropriate timescale and will ensure that the placements stable and meeting the needs of X. contact arrangements should be settled and working well by that time.
Now... the question/problems:
- we have X for 7 months and contact between X and grandmother started weekly (2 hours) in a playgroup, playground or venue with full supervision by social workers.
Contact between X and Grandmother after 3 months changed to weekly (3 hours) at grandmother's house with full supervision by social worker.
Contact between X and Grandmother is going to change next month to weekly (5 hours) semi-supervised. until now social workers and Grandmother pick up X from nursery and drop X at Nursery. From next month social workers will supervised pick-up and drop-off but Grandmother will be with X on her own.
We had serious concerns, judge, Guardian, Pedo Psychiatric, Social workers had same concerns regarding grandmother not accepting court decision and undermining us with X.
We still have serious concerns, grandmother did not change position, social workers are the ones to tell us this because we do not have contact with grandmother but despite those concerns social workers say the contact need to move forwarder and that they cannot supervise it forever.
Not sure what more to say to Social workers and not be interpreted as unreasonable but grandmother is going to make X life miserable and we will be picking up the pieces.
- We mentioned to Social worker about SGO and her reply was "not until contact is ok"... but if grandmother is the one creating problems why are we being penalised?
Not sure how to move forwarder without became confrontational with social workers.
X is almost 4, call us dad and mammy and to our oldest daughter calls her "my big sister".
She loves us, she is well integrated and the bound with us is very strong but grandmother tries to break that bond and she will try and try and she will not give up because "we stall her granddaughter from her" and does not take responsibility.
We have a child under a care order, after a long process in court that last more than one year.
From the judgement:
Type of order
1) All parties are agreed that there should be a care order.
2) I also agree.
3) In due course, I very much hope that the ongoing need for such an invasive order evaporates. In the meantime, this is a family in need of significant intervention by social services, in providing advice, in referring to more expert services, CAMHS for example, if needed, in supervising contact and in convening 3-monthly (as is agreed) Looked After Child reviews in order to ensure that X’s needs remain appropriately assessed and at the forefront of planning and service provision.
4) Subject to the various amendments which have been made orally through the course of the hearing and which can be included in a final document in due course, I approve the local authority care plan.
Conclusions as to X’s Future; Orders
5) I consider that X’s welfare dictates that he should move from the care of her maternal grandparents to live in the family of Mr and Mrs ZZ.
6) I am firmly of the view that a care order is, at least for the time being, required in order to safeguard X’s interests.
7) I approve the care plan as amended and in particular the proposals for contact between X and Grandmother.
8) Accordingly I make a care order in favour of XPTO Council.
From the Care plan:
Is therefore proposed that X is placed with Mr and Mrs ZZ's care under the auspices of a Care Order. It is felt that at this stage the tension between family members may get further strained if X is to move to Mr and Mrs ZZ's care.
Therefore local authority proposed that a Care Order is to be granted in respect of X for one year to ensure that X is settled in her new placement and the required support is offered to X and the family. this will also give local authority an opportunity to oversee and monitor future contact arrangements between X and extended family, especially grandmother.
...
Mr and Mrs ZZ are pleased with the proposed plan and stated they are happy to look after X long term. Initially this will be if agreed by the court under the auspices of a care order however they would hope than in the not too distant future this order be discharged in favour of a Special Guardianship Order. the Local authority propose that a period of 9 to 12 months would be appropriate timescale and will ensure that the placements stable and meeting the needs of X. contact arrangements should be settled and working well by that time.
Now... the question/problems:
- we have X for 7 months and contact between X and grandmother started weekly (2 hours) in a playgroup, playground or venue with full supervision by social workers.
Contact between X and Grandmother after 3 months changed to weekly (3 hours) at grandmother's house with full supervision by social worker.
Contact between X and Grandmother is going to change next month to weekly (5 hours) semi-supervised. until now social workers and Grandmother pick up X from nursery and drop X at Nursery. From next month social workers will supervised pick-up and drop-off but Grandmother will be with X on her own.
We had serious concerns, judge, Guardian, Pedo Psychiatric, Social workers had same concerns regarding grandmother not accepting court decision and undermining us with X.
We still have serious concerns, grandmother did not change position, social workers are the ones to tell us this because we do not have contact with grandmother but despite those concerns social workers say the contact need to move forwarder and that they cannot supervise it forever.
Not sure what more to say to Social workers and not be interpreted as unreasonable but grandmother is going to make X life miserable and we will be picking up the pieces.
- We mentioned to Social worker about SGO and her reply was "not until contact is ok"... but if grandmother is the one creating problems why are we being penalised?
Not sure how to move forwarder without became confrontational with social workers.
X is almost 4, call us dad and mammy and to our oldest daughter calls her "my big sister".
She loves us, she is well integrated and the bound with us is very strong but grandmother tries to break that bond and she will try and try and she will not give up because "we stall her granddaughter from her" and does not take responsibility.