'Supervised' contact??

[QuestionMark]

Hi all,

I'm meant to have supervised contact, supervised by the local authority. However, the LA's contact worker (who is lovely) often pops to the bathroom for a few minutes and leaves me alone with my child. She's done this when we've been out in the community too. Today she even left the house to go to her car and get a bottle of water from her car! All the while I was alone in the house with my child. Last week a social worker was supervising me and allowed me to bathe my baby alone, upstairs for 15 minutes whilst she remained downstairs. I know I'm no danger at all to my children and there's been no concerns reported and evidently, I don't actually need to be supervised. Would I be able to use this as a reason to argue for unsupervised contact? I have taken photos and videos when this has happened to so they can't accuse me of lying.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear SunshineStarRainbow

Thanks for your post.

I see that you are having supervised contact with your child and want to know if you should use photos and videos you have where supervisors have not been watching as closely as you think they should. If you are caring for your child on your own on a day to day basis no one will be watching you closely.

It seems to me that they are treating you as normal as possible and what you probably should do is continue working with children’s services rather than focusing on how you can catch them out. You have taken photos and videos without informing the persons in question. This might not been seen as working openly. Whilst you could refer to the fact that you are doing well in contact and that the supervisors do not have concerns about how you care for your child to support any request you make for unsupervised contact, I am not sure how you wish to do this is necessarily the best way.

Since your contact is being supervised, there should be contact notes prepared by the supervisors and when you and your solicitor look at these you can inform your solicitor what happen at contact. My advice is that you should discuss matters fully with your solicitor.

As your child may be subject to an interim care order or accommodated under s.20, I am including copies of advice sheets relating to contact in both instances for your information. Contact with children in care, Children looked after by Children’s Services under a voluntary arrangement.

You may also wish to contact the Transparency Project to get information about making recordings.

Should you wish to speak to an adviser, do telephone our advice line on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open from 9.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday.

I hope this is helpful.

Best wishes

Suzie