Advise please help needed

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keelsp35
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Sep 12, 2017 9:58 am

Advise please help needed

Post by keelsp35 » Tue Sep 12, 2017 3:15 pm

Hi social services are currently involved and I have to daughters 4 & 6 we have been forcedoing to voluntary go child in need. Let me explain firstly two years ago I went through a nasty break up and over the past year I've had 3 malicious reports one for housing benefit fraud another for income support fraud and the last to social saying I was a heroin addict all false. But the social however went further they didn't cover correct procedure and basically as my friend had her brother living with her who was anot ex addict I had no control when we would be there it was used against me and as pathetic as the was social put my kids on protection but they came off right away on first review which I've been told never happens they got down graded to caf which I never had any contact from again. This stress caused me depression and was put on antidepressants which in April I came right off which you shouldn't and I made a bad decisions to take an overdose while girls were with their dad. Well I kept social in loop as I knew it would go to them and if it wasn't for me keeping in contact I would not have known I had supervision contact. My youngest nursery also logged a complaint. Well during my ime getting better whoch I was only away from my kids 3 weeks in total I met someone who had been through similar break up. Well social closed my case with knowING I met my partner and now have reopened and because he used diazipam had made a larger deal. I have no criminal record. I feel constantly victimised by social with always trying to find something wrong. My kids are well looked after clean and healthy. Can someone tell me have I have rights and could I brino a case. Now I'm going through the he'll again like last yer with meetings all cus social told us if we didn't volunteer to go child in need they would put another protection order when u a kids that need social involve I have a supportive family round me and feel I need a solicitor. Helo

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

Re: Advise please help needed

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Wed Sep 13, 2017 6:07 pm

Dear keelsp5

Welcome to Family Rights Group Parents Discussion Board.

My name is Suzie, online adviser, at Family Rights Group.

It is clear from your post that you feel that children’s services’ (new name for social services) involvement with your family is not necessary and causing you distress and frustration. I am sorry that this is so difficult and upsetting for you.

From your post it appears that children’s service was originally involved because of concerns about the children being in an environment where illicit drugs might be used. From their assessment a decision was made that there should an initial child protection conference and it was decided that child protection plans was the best way to safeguard the children.

You must have worked well with the child protection plan to address the concerns that led to the plans being put in place. It is not unusual for child in need plans to follow child protection plans as this allows children’s services to maintain some contact with the family before closing the case. Your case was closed. Here is some information relating to child in need support

Taking an overdose will always cause children’s services to be concerned about children’s welfare and ensure that they do what is necessary to keep them safe. This includes supervised contact because of what happen they would be worried it could happen when the children are present. I am pleased that you were able to deal with the issues so your children could return to your care very quickly. Please see our advice sheet relating to child protection procedures.

After closing your case there has been further intervention by children’s services because of your new partner’s background. It seems that because his drug use, children services have reached a decision that there needs to be monitoring of the situation to ensure the children are safeguarded. Your children and young and the worry may be that the family is in need of support because of the presence of drugs in the equation again.

Regarding your rights, if as you say, you believe children’s services is not acting fairly towards your family, you can make a formal complaint. A copy of our advice sheet is here . However, you could ask for a meeting with the social worker’s team manager to discuss the concerns that you have about how your case being handled.

Children’s services are not really concerned about criminal activity except where it is of the nature where a child could be put at risk. For example, if a new partner has a history of being domestically abusive, drug user or commit crimes of a sexual nature.

It is not appropriate that you should be threatened by the social worker. This is not good practice. The social worker should be open and honest with you about the concerns they have and how these can be addressed. Openness and transparency is part of the guidance when children’s services is working with a family. You could ask for a family group conference or meeting to be arranged so that family members can work out a plan about what support can be offered to you and the children to prevent safeguarding issues arising. Please see our advice sheet relating to family group conferences

You are of course free to seek legal advice from a solicitor should you wish to do so.

If you would like to speak with an adviser, please do telephone our free confidential advice line on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open from 9.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays).

I hope this is helpful

Best wishes

Suzie

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