What else can I do?

[carrotcake]

I have previously done the freedom programme. There is a course called survivors toolkit that is designed for people who have previously been in an abusive relationship that I have applied to do. Also, I am considering making a report to the police against my ex for all the times he sexually assaulted me as I think it would help me get closure and move on. As stated in my other post a few days ago, I would like to have a child with my partner and want to do everything I can to show that I have made lots of progress. How would SS view these two things? What else can I do to prove that I am mentally better? The thresholds two years ago were about my ex's child sex offences, my mental health as a result of domestic abuse, me not being honest with SS about how much I was struggling. Also due to the abuse I struggled for a few months with day to day things such as keeping the house clean and tidy. Would they asses my house? My home is clean and tidy now. I would also engage with SS much better than I did when my ex was around messing with my head and making me feel like I was going mad!

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Hi Carrotcake,

I will deal with both your recent posts here.

Are you any further forward in finding out what children services plans are for your 15 year old, who is accommodated? I understand that the looked after review has taken place recently. Do you have a copy of the minutes and new care plan?

You are thinking about pursuing a teaching career and are worried that the care proceedings might prevent you from doing so.
What has happened, will come up on any enhanced background checks that need to be made before a person can work with children or vulnerable adults. So yes you might be prevented from doing so. But there is a process that you can follow to ensure that any decision made is fair.

However, I suggest you look at this information about DBS checks and there is a helpline you could contact. Or you could discuss further with the course coordinator or maybe one of the teaching unions.

You say that you are in a completely different place now than what you were when you were with your abusive exe. You have asked about the support that you could pursue.

It sounds like you have done a so much work already.

Have you completed the counselling that appears to have been recommended to help alleviate the distress that you suffered?

You could contact Women’s Aid and ask them about counselling in your area to recover from the domestic violence and sexual assaults that you suffered.

You could also ask about specialist advocates to advise you about reporting the sexual assaults to the police, the affect this might have on you and what specialist support is available .
I cannot advise you how pursuing a case against your exe might be viewed by children services although I can see how it might help you move on. A specialist adviser to victims of sexual assault would be in a better position to advise you about the pros and cons.

I hope this helps. Please post again, if you need further advice.

Suzie

[carrotcake]

Hi
The care plan said there was a contingency plan for a possible care order if there was no progress made, there were concerns for my sons safety or if I were to remove section 20 consent. A decision from the previous meeting was to consider the continuation of the s20 or to apply for a care order if thresholds can be met. (in order to discharge arrangement order). It was not clear at the recent meeting whether this had been done. The social worker is now to check if it has been done or not. There are 6 months in between meetings so I am really not sure why there was no clarity on this - there was plenty of time! I'm very confused by it all and what it means, could you advise me?
The counselling I have had was with a sexual assault advocacy service, and I am referring myself back to them for more as I feel it would be necessary while I am taking police action against my ex. They also run the recovery toolkit course that I mentioned. They are a part of rape crisis but run locally as an independent charity.
My other and preferred plan is to become a university lecturer or researcher. However, my partner works with people who have mental health problems at the local mental health hospital and he only had to have a standard check?

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear carrotcake

Thanks for your further post.

Children services cannot apply for a care order unless the threshold is met, a judge cannot make a care order unless this is the case. The care plan, as you say, has a contingency for s.20 to continue or applying for a care order. Under s.31 of the Children Act the threshold is in these terms

“the child concerned is suffering or is likely to suffer significant harm attributable to the care being given to the child, or likely to be given if an Order were not made, not being what it would be reasonable to expect a parent to give, or the child being beyond parental control.”

In order to establish the threshold children services has to provide evidence to the court. It will be for the judge to make the final decision whether or not the threshold is met. Normally, there would be a legal planning meeting before children services make the decision, on advice from the legal department, whether to issue care proceedings. A copy of our advice sheet relating to care proceedings is here for your information.

Different organisations have their own safeguarding policies so I am not able to comment on your partner’s DBS check. I can only reiterate that if working with children or vulnerable adults an enhanced check is usually undertaken.

I hope this clarifies the current situation for you but it is always open for you to write to the social worker and team manager asking that anything you are unclear about is explained in writing to you.

As previously stated, you are free to telephone the Family Rights Group advice line on 0808 801 0366 to speak to an adviser. The advice line is open from 9.30 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Best wishes

Suzie