Failed viability assesment

[Loveablenan2022]

Hello everyone,

My husband and I have failed a viability assessment and we are planning to appeal. The LA have honed in on my mental health which has been affected by my daughter's behaviours/risks/mental health. I do not have enduring mental health, I suffer from stress. The LA has made me look like a monster, my children were not neglected, I worked so very hard to provide for them and I still provide for them. I want to work with services to resolve this family relationship issue on the assessment. Can anyone recommend what I can do to make things look less bad than how they have painted them? I have contacted a solicitor and hoping to go all the way.

I feel embarrassed, and violated by services. I have been open and honest but they have decided to place my daughter and baby in a mother and baby unit to safeguard the baby from our fragile relationship. I do not want my unborn grandchild taken away from a family who loves him dearly.

Quote -

(Bowlby defined attachment as a 'lasting psychological connectedness between human beings. ' Bowlby (1958) proposed that attachment can be understood within an evolutionary context in that the caregiver provides safety and security for the infant. Attachment is adaptive as it enhances the infant's chance of survival)

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Loveablenan2022,

Welcome to the kinship carers forum and thank you for your post. I am sorry to hear about the difficulties that you and your family have been facing recently and I hope that the following advice is helpful.

You say that you received a negative outcome from a viability assessment in respect of your grandson. You ask for advice around appealing this.

You don’t say if you have already advised children’s services that you wish to appeal the negative outcome of the assessment. If you have not done so then I would advise that you do so as soon as possible in writing and explain that you would like to request a new assessment. We have a template letter which you may wish to download and use as a draft. Please see here and scroll down to ‘template letter 3’. This letter explains what information would be helpful for you to include and what you may wish to challenge. It would be advisable to ensure that the parent’s solicitors and the CAFCASS guardian solicitors have a copy of your letter too.

We have some information on our website here which you might find helpful.

You say that you have been in contact with a solicitor who will hopefully have given you some advice, but you may find the search function on The Law Society website helpful if you wish to get alternative legal advice.

I would encourage you to continue being open and honest with children’s services in order to reach the best outcome for your grandson. You don’t say if you have any contact at the moment with your grandson but you may find it helpful to look at our website here as it has information about children’s services duties regarding contact between children who are looked after and their families.

I hope that this is helpful. Please post back if you have any further queries or you are welcome to call our helpline to speak with one of our advisers on 0808 801 0366 (Monday to Friday 9:30am-3pm).

Best wishes,
Suzie