SGO

[chrissy]

Hi Suzie,
I'm still on the course until may.
I think the next lac meeting is in April.

My sw phoned me on Monday, I had asked for a longer contact supervised with my eldest daughter, the sw agreed so we had a lovely day out in Wales yesterday. The sw also said moving forward we could have contact in school holidays supervised by family and the contact centre in term time, I agreed to this. She also asked me what contact was I thinking of after sgo gone through. I said couple of hours twice week term time and longer in holidays. She said if I pass this course I could get unsupervised. She had phoned course tutor who said I was doing well, engaging etc.

I spoke to a solicitor about the sgo, she said it could be possible but not guaranteed, of getting daughter back. But I would have to show how my sister is no good for my daughter, my sister is a childminder I would also have to involve ofstead, my sister could loose her job if I have to basically be horrible.
I've spoken to family and close friends saying what I would have to do, they don't think it's a good idea. My sister did a very selfless thing for me when I needed her the most, I know we are not speaking at the moment, but I don't think I could do that to her.
My daughter has told me she loves it there, she has children to play with etc.
I think I should go with it all and hope the court gives me enough contact. In your link it said the contact would be sorted before court, I think that's what the sw was trying to do on the phone with me on Monday.
It's very hard to accept my little treasure won't come home.
Thanks x

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Chrissy

It is great news that you have been able to have extended contact with your eldest daughter. Well done on achieving this.

Do continue to engage with your course and attend LAC reviews. You are clearly doing well or the social worker would not have agreed to you having extended contact and suggest the you may be able to have unsupervised in time.

Regarding having your wish to have your daughter back in your care, this would mean that you have to show the court that you have made significant changes in your life in order to address the concerns that led to your daughter being removed from your care. I am not sure why you say you would need to involve OFSTED and possibly affect your sister’s livelihood. In order to apply to discharge a Special Guardianship Order, the basis for your application is that your child would be better off with you than with the Special Guardian, it does not necessarily mean that there is anything wrong in the home just that you think it is best for your child’s welfare to be with you.

The court would have to give you permission to make an application to discharge the Special Guardianship Order before you can go forward with an application.

Your daughter has told you that she loves being with her aunt. Her wishes and feelings would be taken into account by the court if you made an application. I note that you are not currently speaking to your sister and wonder whether it would be possible for you to try and repair that relationship. It could get to a stage where your sister as the Special Guardian think that it would be a good thing for your daughter to return to your care and could support that happening. This would need you to be having really good contact with your daughter including possibly overnight stays. A good relationship with your sister could be helpful to you getting your daughter back in your care.

It might be better for you at the moment to concentrate on completing your course and work towards more contact with your daughter.
A copy of our advice sheet about what Special Guardianship Order means for birth parents is included for your information.

Should you wish to speak to an adviser, feel free to telephone our advice line on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open from 9.30 a.m. to 3.00p.m. Monday to Friday.

I hope this is helpful.

Best wishes,

Suzie

[chrissy]

Hi Suzi.
I have just read on another post that you can ask for copies of my file. I read the link also.I think I will write to them to do this, do I write it to the social worker in charge of my case?.
After my concerns complaint the social worker went to see my sister on Monday. I've not heard any thing over it. Every time I phone to speak to my daughter now my sister doesn't answer the phone then sends a txt to say she busy or working so she can't moniter our call. If she doing this now God help me if she gets the SGO.
I'm still on my course, I've not or will not miss a session.
Over the SGO, I know it's in first stages but how soon should I get a solicitor?
Thanks

[chrissy]

Hi Suzie.
I spoke with my sw this morning, she said she has sent the information of my file papers (I want copies of) to her legal team. What can I do if I get refused them.
The concern I had she said she has typed them up and her boss needs check it over before it's sent to me.
My last post I asked how soon should I get a solicitor.
My daughter told me last contact (Thursday) she has wrote a letter to her IRO lady, she did it in school with the head teacher. She is disappointed the head is sending a copy to the sw, I explained that has to be done. She wouldn't tell me what was in the letter because she didn't want contact worker knowing. I know she wants to come home, but she will tell me on face time when she is with her older sister.
Her school work is slipping again, in contact I asked her if there was any thing wrong. She eventually told me my sisters daughters are always calling her name's. I've told her to complain to sister and if she does nothing then to tell me or her older sisters when she gets chance or to write things down. I've told her I'm trying to get her back, but if I can't we will get unsupervised and have lots of time together.
Please reply soon, especially over getting solicitor.
Thanks

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Chrissy

Thank you for your further post.

Regarding your request for Children Services to provide you with a copy of your file, I think it is necessary for the papers to be checked to ensure that information relating to third parties can be redacted before they are sent to you. I have included a copy of our advice sheet about accessing records here for your information.

I see that you still have concerns about your daughter and you should ensure that the social worker and Independent Review Officer (IRO) is made aware of everything. It is helpful that your daughter sought help at school to write a letter about what is worrying her and hopefully this will lead to the social worker taking appropriate action to resolve matters with your sister, the Special Guardian.

Whilst I understand that you are anxious to have your daughter back in your care, it might not be the best thing at the moment to tell her that you are trying to get her back. This could lead to her being unsettled in her placement and might be part of the reason the she is worried at the moment. She could be concerned that it is not going to happen or when it will.

There is a supervision order in place so the social worker should be monitoring the placement to make sure that it is going well and your daughter is happy. She should also be working with the Special Guardian to ensure that the placement is secure for your daughter.

The Special Guardianship Order has only been in place a few months and you are unable to take the matter back to court before 6 months. You will need permission from the court to make an application to discharge the Order. If you have not made the necessary changes to address the concerns that led to your daughter being removed from your care it is unlikely you would be able to convince the court that she is better off in your care. I suggest that you read through the judgment of the court to make sure you identify all the concerns that the court had about your ability to care for your daughter.

When you get a solicitor will depend on the circumstances at the time and what you intend to ask the court to do. If there are issues with contact you will have to try and resolve these in mediation and Children Services should provide assistance and support to ensure that there is good quality contact for your daughter. Children Services are required to do this under Regulation 3 of the Special Guardianship Regulations 2005 (as amended by the Special Guardianship (Amendment) Regulations 2016). It might help if you seek advice from a solicitor now so you will know exactly what is involved and how the process works.

Alternatively, I suggest that you contact Coram Children’s Legal Centre on 0300 330 5480 as they will be able to give you more advice about making an application as the service advises on private law matter (that is a case between individuals) and your application would be private law proceedings.

Should you wish to speak to an adviser, please do telephone our advice line on 0808 801 0366.

Hope you will find this helpful

Best wishes

Suzie

[chrissy]

Hi Suzi,
My sister doesn't have the sgo yet just application gone in for it.
My daughter broke down in contact last week she is so unhappy, sw keeps taking her out but she refuses to talk to her. Daughter told me she got stamped on by sisters older daughter, she is called names which is clearly making her unhappy. She actually said she would rather be in proper care than go back there. It was hart breaking for me to listen to it all. She has to bring home one of sisters childminding kids from school as well and sit with him until sis gets back from another school. She had to leave him on his own one day because her taxi was waiting to bring her to contact with me!!
The contact worker wrote every thing down and talked to the sw over it all, she was nearly in tears seeing daughter so upset. I phoned the sw next morning as well over it all.
Today I phoned sw over contact for this week she told me she took daughter out today and she is a happy little girl who is close to my sister!! My daughter is being manipulated to show sw what she needs ( I know my sis).
I've got a lac review tmrw, I'm dreading it. The IRO woman who told me stop phoning her will be there. Last week I had a inkling daughter wanted to come home, well that's what she told me, I know she still does. After today's phone call it seems all the serious concerns are being played down, and sw wants my daughter stay there.
Tmrw I'm going to take notes, try to stay calm and ride through it.
I've got 5 weeks of course left, I've learned loads on it. I've done all what they asked, I've even changed my job. I've not received the paper work I requested yet,
The sw can not see through my sis, I feel she just wants another file closed.
I'm going to need a solicitor over the sgo should I be looking now?.
Is it at all possible I could get my daughter back. X

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Hi Chrissy

I definitely think you should be seeking some legal advice now if possible. You might want to get a few numbers of child care law solicitors from the law society find a solicitor function. Try to find a solicitor who has 'Children Law Accreditation'.

How did the LAC review go?

Suzie

[chrissy]

LAC review.

It went well, the IRO woman took my daughter in first, they had a long chat. Then the social worker went in for a bit then my sister and I went in.
My daughter has requested her discussion to be confidential, I thought because she said she not happy and why and didn't want upset sister. ( I was right daughter told me when we went the zoo). My daughter has said she wants to come home and has stressed this a lot. Now the sgo is on hold, I have to finish y course all being well, at the next review end September they will support daughter to coming home, they told her that as well.
Question though
My course is finished in 3 weeks the paper work will take approximately 2 weks, so why wait another 4 months for next review, could the decision be made before the review?
Thanks for your reply.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Chrissy

I am really pleased for you that the LAC review went well especially as your daughter was able to speak to the Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) about her wishes and feelings. It is of course very important for your daughter to feel that she is being listened to and that she has a voice in the plans being made for her.

You will no doubt be pleased that Children Services are looking again at the possibility of your daughter returning home. My suggestion is that you should concentrate on completing your course and on continue having good contact with your daughter. Whilst I understand that you want your daughter home, Children Services will have to carry out an assessment to make sure it is the best thing for your daughter to return home. Your daughter’s welfare and ensuring that she is living is a safe environment is what will concern them.

Any return to your care would have to be managed in a planned way to ensure that it will work out well once she is home. This is likely to include increased contact, unsupervised and overnight stays leading up to a final return home. It is, I think, unlikely that your daughter will return home if that is the final plan, before the next review. However, this will depend and how Children Services decide to move things forward. Did your sister agree to the proposal that your daughter may return home or does she wish to pursue her application for special guardianship?

I suggest you speak to the social worker and ask her to let you know the timescale they will be working to for your daughter to return home.

I hope this helps.

Best wishes,

Suzie

[chrissy]

Hi Suzie.

Yes my sister is supporting daughter to come home, which is good news.
I forgot to add the IRO also said my daughter getting an advocate, she even said that daughter could tell advocate she wants care order revoked, would that mean she could actually do that, and could it be done. I'm getting hope that she be home,
Thank you x