Mutual Exchange & SS

[KD1980]

I am seeking advice on behalf of a relative, she has fled her current home due to on-going harassment from family members and her violent ex husband. This resulted in her child who is 16 being targeted and him trying to commit suicide.

She does not want to remain in her property for her sons safety. Social services are involved with the family as they deemed her son to be at risk due to the targeted harassment, they are currently undergoing assessment.

They are staying with a friend in Kent for the time being as my relative wants to protect her son, the accommodation is not suitable for them.

Her current borough is Greenwich which she no longer wants to live in (hence her fleeing her home), the family members causing the harassment live locally to this area. She has been advised by Greenwich council to find a mutual exchange outer borough in order for her to be housed quickly.

She has found a mutual exchange with another tenant which is in another borough from Greenwich (10miles) but Social services are saying that the exchange cannot go ahead as they feel that her son will only be safe if they move out of London.

She is not happy with this decision as she and her son would like to stay in London but move to another borough away from Greenwich. He is attending college and is doing well.
The property that she would be moving to is secure with phone entry systems and security cameras.

She has broken all contact from her family members, she has no contact with them at all. She has changed her mobile number and deleted her Facebook account so that she and her son cannot be traced.

Social services are doing assessments and have stated that her son will remain with her as she poses no risk.

Is this decision right? Can she appeal this?

Any advice would be greatly received.

[David Roth]

Hi KD1980 - you could phone up Family Rights Group's advice line to discuss this question - tel 0808 801 0366 Mon-Fri 9.30am-3pm - or your relative may want to post on the discussion forum for parents: http://www.frg.org.uk/ParentsForum/

As Irene stated, this forum is specifically for relatives who are bringing up children who can't stay with their parents.