Early stages - Case Conference - Urgent update

[fatcat]

this is absolutely fantastic news!!! even better than an interim residence order. you will get the financial support, and your daughter will now be given every opportunity to turn things round if she can, and your grandchild is safe in your care. if socia serivces think that your daughter shouldn't have unsepervised contact they can always change that arrangement inthe future. now that the child is o=in your care, it is very unlikely that he would be removed, unless to move back in with mother.

although you can't make may decisions about your grandchild, that could be positive, because if your daughter doesn't like anything, you can direct her to have it out with the social worker rather than with you.

with the case properly in court, and what sounds like a sensible guardian, you are in a much better position to consider your support needs and have them in place prior to a final order being made.

well done, i'm so pleased for you.

fatcat x

[Kate]

worried nan, just a quick note - going away to our caravan for a week, so just wanted to say I hope things keep on moving in the right direction, and you can sort out the practicalities so that you get some financial support in caring for your grandson. Thinking of you.

[Kate]

Hi again worried nan, wondering if there have been any developments?

[worriednan]

Not really any developements. The court hearing is set for Thursday, ss saying that they are going for an ICO and are placing him with me as a foster carer.

Daughter not complying with the plan they put in place where she is supposed to take him to mother and toddler groups 4 mornings a week so that she is only with him 4 hours a day unsupervised. They are doing checks up visits almost every day and they know she hasn't been going.

Had a core group meeting on Tuesday and she was told that if an ICO is granted then she will lose the flat which bothered her more than anything.

I thought the guardian may have wanted to see us before the court hearing but she hasn't been in touch. I was given a Foster Carers Agreement to sign and a big medical form as g/s has to have this big medical. They also got me to fill in my bank details so it looks like they mean business this time.

That's about it. I will let you all know what happens in Court!!

[Kate]

It sounds as if they do mean business, worried nan, and in a way which means you will be provided for too. Your daughter has had every possible chance to make the changes she needs to make, and SS must have enough evidence to take to court. I hope with all my heart that your grandson can finally be with you full-time. Will be thinking of you as you wait for court, please keep us posted.

[worriednan]

Just a quick question. I read the minutes from the last case conference last night (my daughter gets sent them but I don't), on several points I have only been half quoted which does make me sound bad.

The childrens guardian asked me a particular question and the way it has been written makes me sound like a control freak, they have not written my reasons for what I said.

Who can I speak toor complain to as I am worried that I will be seen in a bad light and the next cc isn't for ages for me to say something.

It has been obvious from the start that the Chairwoman doesn't like me and has belittled me at every opportunity.

[David Roth]

Worriednan, I'd suggest writing a friendly letter to the chair of the conference, saying that you understand that it isn't possible for everything that's said at the conference to be minuted, but in this case you're worried that things being left out significantly altered the sense of what you said. You could then provde a brief summary of what it was you actually said, and ask that this be read out at the 'minutes & matters arising' stage at the start of the next conference, so that they can be included in the minutes of that meeting.

I'm also not sure why you're not being sent a copy of the minutes, if you're actually at the conference. They can't say that it's because the information is confidential, since you're actually at the conference and hear all the confidential information being spoken aloud. Perhaps you could politely ask about this as well?

Good luck with this - it sounds like additiional presure you don't need in an already worrying situation.

David R
FRG Policy Adviser

[worriednan]

Thank you David, that was what I initially felt like doing but I wasn't sure whether it was a good idea or not.

I wasn't sent a copy of the minutes of either of the case conference minutes but do receive a copy of the core group ones.

I will draft a letter right now.

[Kate]

worried nan, I think SS minutes can be inaccurate and inadequate. In fact someone on here advised taking your own minutes and I took her advice - it was well worth it.

I agree with David, if you do as he suggests, calmly and pleasantly, it's hard to see how they could refuse your request. I did this with the core assessment - my daughter's version was presented as if it was fact, which misrepresented me. I wrote a rebuttal and requested that they put it in the file alongside the report.

In your case, if this is something that can be read out at the next CC it will actually get heard, unlike something stuck in a file, which is much better.

You should also ask about the minutes, if you attend, as Irene says you should be sent a copy.

[worriednan]

Hi all

Court went well yesterday and ICO was granted after 5 hours of negotiations! Daughters solicitor was great and involved me in all of it, she was shocked when I told her that SW had said that I wasn't allowed to go to court and went straight into the other interview room to get everyones agreement that as g/s primary carer it made sense that I was there and fully involved. Surprisingly it was the LA solicitor that asked the magistrates for their permission for me to be involved and be allowed to stay in the court room!!

Very tight care plan which I can't see my daughter following even though she knows the consequences but I am going to try to help her and encourage her to attend everything.

We are to be assessed as Foster Carers but the placement started from yesterday and I was assured that the allowance will be backdated!

Thank you everyone for your support, it did help get through yesterday.