My baby in foster care, Can I change my social workers?

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ch1989
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2012 11:34 am

My baby in foster care, Can I change my social workers?

Post by ch1989 » Tue Mar 06, 2012 3:12 pm

Hi my 5 week old baby was taken from me after birth due to social workers believing he would come to harm in the care of me and his father. We were both not aware that if we were in a relationship when our boy was born they were going to take him and place him in temporary foster care. Me and his father are no longer in a relationship.

I get no support from my two social workers and they are just trying to keep my baby away from me rather than help me to get him back. I don't know what to do. I hate been away from him although I have met the foster carers and I know they are looking him after really well and they dont judge me in anyway, he should be with me and family.

The social workers have lied in the past reports from assesments and I have complained many times about them been the way they are towards me. They are trying anything possible to keep me away from my baby, they are even mentioning adoption which I would never ever agree to.

Is there anyway I can get my social workers changed?

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Suzie, FRG Adviser
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Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm

Re: My baby in foster care, Can I change my social workers?

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Wed Mar 07, 2012 11:22 am

Dear ch1989,

I am really sorry to hear that your baby was taken from you after birth. It must have been very traumatic for you.

For me to give you the correct advice, I need to find out more about what happened when your baby was removed from you. Could you please answer the following questions? I will come back as quickly as I can to provide you with some advice.

1. Did you agree to your baby going into foster care or did children services (new name for social services) get a court order (emergency protection order or interim care order) or did the police get police protection?
2. Do you have a solicitor? If not, it is extremely important that you find one as soon as possible who specialises in children law and who is preferably on the children panel. Here is a link to help you find one. Law Society
3. How often do you see your baby?
4. Is it your first child or do you have other children?
5. Although you are happy with the care that you baby is receiving in foster care, I wonder whether you have any family or friends who could be assessed to care for your baby while you are being assessed?
6. Do you understand now why there were concerns about your relationship with dad? Has this been fully explained to you?
7. Do you know what assessments of you have taken place? Have you had copies?

If you can answer these questions or some of them, then I will be able to give you advice. Please post back soon.

Best wishes,

Suzie

ch1989
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2012 11:34 am

Re: My baby in foster care, Can I change my social workers?

Post by ch1989 » Thu Mar 08, 2012 1:26 pm

The social care came to the hospital the morning after I gave birth and I did not agree for him to go into foster care. They went to court that afternoon and got an emergency protection order. We were in hospital for 2 weeks but he went to foster carers the day of discharge. There was no police involvement.

Yes I do have a solicitor.

I see my baby three times a week at a contact centre. I get two 2 hour sessions and one 1 hour session. His father sees him once a week for an hour.

This is my second child. I have a son of 5 years who lives with his father. Both my children have different fathers.

My ex partners parents are been assessed by the social care as potential foster carers for my baby. The social care have told us that this can take up to 16 weeks. And I'm not 100% confident they will allow him to temporarily stay there as the issues are regarding their son. They are trying to keep my son away. They are not helping to get him back at all.

I had a pre birth assessment done although this was completed after my baby was born as he was 4 weeks early. They outlined in that that if I was to remain in a relationship with my baby's father I would not be able to have my baby so I ended the relationship. The social care have said that they told me throughout my pregnancy that this would happen, although they never did.

I understand that now that I can only have my baby whilst I'm not in a relationship with his father. I am now not in a relationship with him but the social care do not believe me and think we are still in a relationship, I don't know how to prove were not. I just want my baby back.

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Suzie, FRG Adviser
Posts: 4210
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm

Re: My baby in foster care, Can I change my social workers?

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Thu Mar 08, 2012 3:31 pm

Hello
Thanks for answering my questions, I think I understand your situation a little better now. I have a few points to make:
1. I’m glad you have a solicitor. If you are in court fighting to keep your baby, it’s really important that you have a good relationship with your solicitor. Listen carefully to what he or she says, and make sure you work cooperatively with your legal team. You should put any specific questions about your case to your solicitor.
2. You asked originally if you could change social workers. The answer to this is that you can always ask to change, but Children’s Services don’t have to agree to your request. I understand that you feel like your social worker is against you, but my hunch is that the situation might not change with a new one. It’s probably better to accept this is who you have, and to try to work with this person. It’s really important to try to get some sort of progress here, though I know it’s hard. But ultimately, you are trying to prove to your social worker and then the judge that you can care for your baby. Complaining about your social worker – even if you are right, probably isn’t going to help matters.
3. You say the dad’s parents are being assessed as carers, but you are not sure if that will go through. Other family members or friends can also be assessed, so think about if there is anyone else possible who might be able to care for your baby. Raise this with your solicitor.
4. Keep up the good work – don’t go back with the dad, and hopefully soon the social worker will believe you have split for good. Make sure the contact goes well and you are not late for contact or miss appointments. Ask your solicitor what else you should be doing to show everyone that you are making improvements. For example, do the professionals want you to get some domestic violence support? Or go into counselling? Without knowing what the concerns are, I couldn’t tell you what you should be doing. But your solicitor will know all this, and should be able to give you some practical advice.
I hope this helps. Good luck
Suzie

becky157
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2012 12:46 pm

Re: My baby in foster care, Can I change my social workers?

Post by becky157 » Fri Dec 14, 2012 12:57 pm

Hi l was reading your stroy and it hit me hard because lv been throw whot U are going throw ur story is a lot like mine in every word l no whot ur going throw lv been there 11years ago l never got my 2 children back thay ate adoped my children are 13 teen n 11 years old now don't let them get there hands on your baby cuz l don't mean to scare U but once thay have him you have a fight on ur hands go to your lockel mp n tell them what is happing thay will help you don't sigh nothing wiv out ur solecter there if you ever want to talk to someone who's been throw whot U are going throw then contact me. l hope you get ur lil boy back

Saraheve
Posts: 103
Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2016 10:39 am

Re: My baby in foster care, Can I change my social workers?

Post by Saraheve » Tue Nov 15, 2016 6:35 pm

I am going through a pre birth assessment and im very scared as they said it's likely I will go back to court, did they say if you will get your baby back. Do you know when you can go back to court.
Good luck.

321321
Posts: 14
Joined: Tue Sep 13, 2016 11:31 pm

Re: My baby in foster care, Can I change my social workers?

Post by 321321 » Thu Nov 17, 2016 5:45 pm

You need to start digitally recording everything. If the social workers are lying, catch them out. Don't let them know you are recording, either.

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