Getting my kids home

[SM23]

Hi there I was exhausted and took my children to my parents for a week when I was going to bring them home my dad said social services had already got a court order and took them without my knowledge I have been to court it got put back to a children's panel and I was told to let them do their assessments and I have they say I can't give them consistent care lied in reports and I have disproved their accusations they also say it would be emotional neglect if they were to come home but my children crying asking to come home all the time and they are becoming effected by this I need them home but social services won't even give me unsupervised I am terrified also my children have had injuries that theyv never had with me please help me

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear SM23

Welcome to the Parents board. I am sorry to hear that your children are in care at the moment. It must be distressing for you.
Has the court case finished and is there a full care order? if not are your children with a family member under a private law order?

If there are care orders I expect the following to apply?
As you are a parent, you will still have "parental responsibility" which you will share with children services. This means you should ask the social worker any questions about your children particularly as you are worried about them. Children services should be looking after your children in consultation with you.
Your children’s care plans must be regularly reviewed at a looked after children meeting chaired by an independent reviewing officer who will be checking that your childrens plan is being carried out correctly by children services. Here is information about LAC reviews

Have you got copies of the care plan so you know how much contact you will have? Here is information about care plans .
Sometimes, to settle children with foster carers, contact with parents can be reduced for a while. Has this happened for your children?

You are worried about your children’s safety-have you spoken to the social worker about your worries? Has she carried out an assessment to find out how those injuries might have happened?
Your children want to come home to you.
Here is our advice sheet about re uniting children back home with their families.

If your children are under a private law order such as a special guardianship order

The law will be different. In this case, you will share the legal parental responsibility with the carers and children services may have no involvement or will be supervising for up to 12 months.
If this is the case, what orders do the carers have? A child arrangements order (CAO) or a special guardianship order? I can then give you more advice.

I have given you general advice but if you have any questions, please post again or call our advice line for free and confidential advice.

Best wishes,
Suzie