Family Rights Group | Kinship carers’ Forum

Hi with regards to parenting assessment. Does past history get to be used.
We were told it does not get included this was told to us by social worker however it's been added.
And it does not paint my daughter in a very good light at keeping her little boy.
The research I have done is inrealable.
Thankyou

Hi KT53. I am astonished that a SW told you that. The whole purpose of the assessment is to see if a placement would be safe and in the best interests of the child. Anything pertinent will go in, as it forms part of the overall picture. If history was not included, someone who had previously let a child down big time, would easily be given another chance, and a child would again be hurt if the historical failings had not been addressed.

I appreciate it may show your daughter in a negative light, but it at least gives you and her the chance to mitigate against any actual or perceived risk to the child. Not knowing your case makes it difficult to give ideas, but for instance if the history meant your daughter had health, drink or drug problems and a child was discovered alone and uncared for, a mitigation might be that you, or other family members were prepared to check on her and the child daily, with an agreed action plan if things started going wrong.

Hopefully this makes some sense and you are able to put disappointment at what you may see as SW deception to the back of your mind, and with your daughter, start to think how any risk might be minimised.

Good luck ... Robin

KT53 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 06, 2020 3:37 pm Hi with regards to parenting assessment. Does past history get to be used.
We were told it does not get included this was told to us by social worker however it's been added.
And it does not paint my daughter in a very good light at keeping her little boy.
The research I have done is inrealable.
Thankyou

Dear KT53

Thank you for your post.

In addition to what Robin D has said do have a look at this document Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 which from page 24 to page 29 may give you a better idea about what assessments are, how they are done and the areas they cover.

Best wishes.

Suzie

Hi thankyou for the reply. This is her first child. But she has a history of mental health and was a child at risk, from herself.
But I was there at the meeting when the social worker stated this about previous history. So was shocked when it was in parenting assessment.
Thankyou.

Hello. Thankyou so much for the replies I did look.at the working together document.
However I felt that it was more professional.based and not for a mother.and a grandma document.

Thankyou for the help though.