Injustice by social services

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Crazyballs2014
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Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2015 1:26 am

Injustice by social services

Post by Crazyballs2014 » Wed Aug 12, 2015 3:31 pm

My friend lost the custody of her 3 year old daughter because of the wrong report made by the social services ,guardian and pscologist .All wanted to prove her that she is mad and mental .NHs said she has no problem ,but they all don't believe her .Her husband who had supervised contact because of domestic violence was given unsupervised for a month and overnight after that has been given custody of the child .The mothers who took good care of the child has been given supervised contact for 6 weeks and a review hearing after that .The only mistake she did was took her daughter with fever and odd behaviour to hospital .The ambulance was called by the neighbour who saw the behaviour of the child .she was told in hospital she did the right thing to bring the child to hospital .But the social services and guardian showed this incident as physical and emotional harm to the child and a way to stop the contact .
This friend of mine is so depressed after losing her child who is only 3 that she is scared if she complaint the social services will not give her unsupervised contact and as you know the judges in this country don't believe anyone except the so called professionals .we need help to get her daughter back who is not happy with her farther today she was upset in supervised contact wearing a shirt full of food .When the mothers asked she is wearing a duty shirt she got a reply that she must have slept with it .if something happens to this child who will be responsible it will be our system who don't thing about a child just thing about contact for farther .she needs to appeal but no one is representing her as everyone is scared of local authority involved that is the social services .please all of you can help her to get her daughter .This fight is for a mother to get her child back and prove this system that a mother can never harm a child .
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Suzie, FRG Adviser
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Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm

Re: Injustice by social services

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Wed Aug 12, 2015 4:54 pm

Dear Crazyballs2014

Welcome to the Parents’ Discussion Forum.

My name is Suzie and I am an Adviser at Family Rights Group.

I am sorry that you friend’s 3 year old daughter is no longer in her care after as a result of court proceedings.

It is not clear from your post whether your friend was involved in care proceedings brought by her local authority or it was a case between her and her daughter’s father.

You say that the report to the court was wrong but I am not able to comment on this. If your friend believes that the content of the report is wrong then this should be brought to the attention of the Judge. In your post you also say that your friend has been given supervised contact with a review hearing in 6 weeks. This suggests that the case is ongoing and no final order has yet been made.

If your friend’s case is a private law case, that is, between the parents then if she does not have a solicitor already, she could contact Coram Children Legal Services for advice on 0300 330 5480.

Whilst I understand your frustration at the situation your friend is in and the feelings of loss she is experiencing, it appears that the hospital may have concluded that her daughter suffered harm. You say there are issues of physical and emotional abusive. It would be a safeguarding concern if your friend’s daughter suffered physical abuse and this means:

‘any kind of physical harm, including for example by hitting, shaking, throwing or burning a child’

In relation to the emotional abuse you refer to in your post I have set out below what this can involve:

‘’There is no one definition of emotional abuse in the law and it can include many things like:
• continuing and severe ill treatment of a child so that the child’s confidence and self worth is badly hurt
• constantly putting the child down or making them feel unloved or useless
• bullying
• letting a child see or hear someone else being ill treated, for example the child witnessing violence at home
• expecting too much of a child for their age, or being over protective
• failing to protect them from abuse by someone else.
Some degree of emotional abuse is involved in all forms of abuse to children but it can also occur alone.’’

The fact that your friend had a psychological assessment means that there may have been concerns about her and the psychologist may have asked your friend questions such as the following :
• how you are now and what has happened to you in the past, including when you were a child;
• whether you are able to change things that affect the way you care for your child;
• whether, with the right support or treatment, you could look after your child better; and
• whether you would be able to make changes to the way you care for your child within a timescale which is suitable for your child’s development.

Whilst I understand that your friend is unhappy about the current arrangements for her daughter, I suggest that she try to concentrate on the contact that she is having to make it good for her daughter. This is important as she needs to show that her daughter is enjoying contact with her and when her contact is reviewed if there has been positive contact things may change.

Please note, that contact is considered to be for the benefit of the child and not for the parent. It is the child’s right to have contact if this is in his or her best interests

If the proceedings are care proceedings or private law, then your friend would have had legal representation for her case. The father would have been assessed before being considered to care for his daughter. Your friend would be entitled to legal representation in care proceedings.

It would be for your friend’s solicitor or barrister to advise her whether or not she has grounds to appeal the Judge’s decision. I am not able to advise you about an appeal as it is not within our remit.

I am really very sorry but we are not able to assist your friend in having her daughter returned to her care. This will be for the Judge to decide whether the proceedings are care or private law.

Regarding your comment that a mother will never harm a child, whilst your friend my not have, does not mean that a mother would not harm a child. Unfortunately, it does happen where mothers harm children.

I understand that it is a difficult situation for your friend and I hope that the information here will be of help to you and her.

If your friend wishes to speak to an Adviser, she could telephone our advice line on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open Monday to Friday from 9.30 a.m. to 3.00p.m.

Best wishes,

Suzie

justiceisaright
Posts: 20
Joined: Thu Feb 20, 2014 12:20 am

Re: Injustice by social services

Post by justiceisaright » Wed Aug 12, 2015 5:36 pm

Terrible just terrible!

Tell her to make contact like suzy said the most important time. Do not become depressed or anxious or cry through any of this or that will be used against her. So will her family history and any nhs records pertaining to her history. The NHS doctors saw nothing wrong so that is a good thing. From the sounds of it a full care order has not yet been made so she has time. This 6 week supervised visitation will be a test for her and it must be aced. Her ex husband will be scrutinized during this time too. Tell her to get on the good side of the contact workers (always smiling and chatty to them). have her point out at the beginning of contact that her child looks dirty, smells. have her ask her child if she has eaten and bring food every contact as well as presents including things her child needs. Make sure she shows a lot of emotional warmth and gives her daughter undivided attention. Always show up and on time even if she has to drag herself there on her hands and knees.

Then tell her to get on the good side of social services as much as possible. follow all recommendations set out by them to improve her parenting and take all courses. And at that final hearing let her produce all the evidence in how she can sustain change and be a better parent.

Tell her to focus on herself and not worry about her ex husband and how wronged she is. Just keep taking steps. She still has parental responsibility and can apply for custody at a later point. The main points are proof that she has overcome any difficulties found in the mental health assessment, a stable job and housing, and no more identified concerns. Also remember that if her family history is a concern then proof on how she has confronted those issues if they know about them.

I hope for that little girls sake she is reunited with her mother one day.

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