who do I complain to next?
Posted: Mon Oct 16, 2017 10:39 pm
In the past few years the one thing that has really driven me mad (apart from the fact that I am not allowed my kids home) is the lack of communication.
My four children have 3 social workers between them. I regularly phone, text or email them, about contacts or concerns, with very little response. I have good communication with the support workers for my son at the house he is now leaving, but they also say they have difficulty communicating with the socialb workers. I have been trying to find out details about meetings, such as lac meetings and education meetings, as well as trying to find out what plays/performances and parents evenings there are as it was agreed over 2 years ago that I can attend them all, but am rarely told when they are, especially for my youngest. I have also been trying for many months for a response over my partners dbs. I have on more than one occasion taken time off work for lac reviews, (and in my role at work that can be difficult to do), only to find on arrival that it has been re-scheduled and the social workers have forgotten to inform me. Which is obviously very frustrating.
A couple of months ago, my children attended an awards show for children in care, where my daughter did a solo singing performance in front of the audience and dignatries. Obviously my chilldren wanted me there. This is the 3rd annual awards show they have been to, and on previous ones i was not informed. This one i was invited by the social worker, less than an hour before it was due to start, when I was in work, a distance away with no car, and unable to get staff to cover, so I couldnt leave work. My daughter was then obviously upset that I didnt attend, as she was told I had been invited and chose work over her.
I have been told I am allowed phone contact with my older daughter but in the nearly 2 years since this was agreed I have not recieved a single call from her foster carer. It is brought up at every lac review, but is passed over with "when the foster carer has time im sure she will allow her to call you".
In the 18 months since my son returned to our home town he has been promised sibling contacts with his brother and sisters, but this has been put off repeatedly, despite all of the kids requesting it. The social worker for two of my children said to my face that it will never happen as he doesnt like the foster home where my son was staying. This has obviously upset my son, and made worse now as he has started college, and on the only day of the month that he sees his siblings, because of his schedule he only gets half an hour with them instead of 1 and a half hours. We have both requested this gets looked at and been denied as the contact workers are too busy.
As well as contacting the social workers i have emailed the LAC review officer and cc'd' her into emails that I have sent the social workers about all of these concerns, so she can see how I am trying to communicate with them, but again over the past few months had no response, except a shrug when i raise it in meeitings and "i forgot to get back to you".
In the past 2 years I havent recieved any paperwork before lac reviews so I can voice my opinions and havent recieved minutes afterwards, despite repeated requests. I kept all previous ones as a way of proving when promises where made, but cant do so when not given them. To cap it all, when i havent been able to give views due to not recieving the paperwork, it records as "mother did not respond", so it looks like I am not getting involved.
Sorry its so long winded, but you can see why I am getting so frustrated and trying to find out who I can turn to or complain to.
My four children have 3 social workers between them. I regularly phone, text or email them, about contacts or concerns, with very little response. I have good communication with the support workers for my son at the house he is now leaving, but they also say they have difficulty communicating with the socialb workers. I have been trying to find out details about meetings, such as lac meetings and education meetings, as well as trying to find out what plays/performances and parents evenings there are as it was agreed over 2 years ago that I can attend them all, but am rarely told when they are, especially for my youngest. I have also been trying for many months for a response over my partners dbs. I have on more than one occasion taken time off work for lac reviews, (and in my role at work that can be difficult to do), only to find on arrival that it has been re-scheduled and the social workers have forgotten to inform me. Which is obviously very frustrating.
A couple of months ago, my children attended an awards show for children in care, where my daughter did a solo singing performance in front of the audience and dignatries. Obviously my chilldren wanted me there. This is the 3rd annual awards show they have been to, and on previous ones i was not informed. This one i was invited by the social worker, less than an hour before it was due to start, when I was in work, a distance away with no car, and unable to get staff to cover, so I couldnt leave work. My daughter was then obviously upset that I didnt attend, as she was told I had been invited and chose work over her.
I have been told I am allowed phone contact with my older daughter but in the nearly 2 years since this was agreed I have not recieved a single call from her foster carer. It is brought up at every lac review, but is passed over with "when the foster carer has time im sure she will allow her to call you".
In the 18 months since my son returned to our home town he has been promised sibling contacts with his brother and sisters, but this has been put off repeatedly, despite all of the kids requesting it. The social worker for two of my children said to my face that it will never happen as he doesnt like the foster home where my son was staying. This has obviously upset my son, and made worse now as he has started college, and on the only day of the month that he sees his siblings, because of his schedule he only gets half an hour with them instead of 1 and a half hours. We have both requested this gets looked at and been denied as the contact workers are too busy.
As well as contacting the social workers i have emailed the LAC review officer and cc'd' her into emails that I have sent the social workers about all of these concerns, so she can see how I am trying to communicate with them, but again over the past few months had no response, except a shrug when i raise it in meeitings and "i forgot to get back to you".
In the past 2 years I havent recieved any paperwork before lac reviews so I can voice my opinions and havent recieved minutes afterwards, despite repeated requests. I kept all previous ones as a way of proving when promises where made, but cant do so when not given them. To cap it all, when i havent been able to give views due to not recieving the paperwork, it records as "mother did not respond", so it looks like I am not getting involved.
Sorry its so long winded, but you can see why I am getting so frustrated and trying to find out who I can turn to or complain to.