ADVICE ABOUT SOCIAL WORKER ACCESS

[Miserylovescompany2]

Wow! Erm maybe someone needs to have a stern talk with that MP - that is their job! I would still put it in writing to your MP and also add in "that you look forward to her prompt professional courteous response."

I hope you get some joy from the solicitor and be firm with your instructions. You shouldn't have to go to extraordinary measures to get clarity.

The reason I suggested the GP is because they could also add some additional pressure.

If you come at this from as many directions as possible then the quicker your response will be.

Also you can telephone the CS complaints officer for your county and initiate a verbal complaint. Say it's urgent and you are very concerned about your daughters safety and emotional well-being.

I hope this helps?

Also - you can call EDT (emergency duty team) in out of hour times. If you call the generic number it should give you EDT one.

[JAY VEE]

Thank you again:) I have finally got some answers without involving solicitors.I have spoken at length with the school & they have said that all who attended the meeting had heard us say to the Sunrise SW that we want no contact or involvement with them (I am still awaiting a response from the Sunrise management) The school also agreed that we legally have the right to refuse visits by Sunrise staff & they will not allow access to our daughter by the Sunrise SW.I think I posted earlier that this SW had contradicted herself & my daughter has confided that she had contact with her without our knowledge & also the same child she was not allowed to have contact with was present.Our daughter says she sometimes feels pressured by the SW into saying things that are not true just to make her go away.

I hope I am not coming across as anti-authority/social services but we do feel that some of them overstep their authority & even though they say they invite questions from parents,they are unwilling or unable to provide answers.One of the reasons that this whole saga started was the authorities concern about CSE & coercing children into committing other crimes by adults (both men & women) which has proved to be correct.We have done some investigating on our own & have uncovered some pretty nasty stuff.It is shameful that police and social services have been unaware of so much of this & when they are,they seem to do all they can to protect the perpetrators.Hardly inspires confidence or trust and does not surprise me that some take the law into their own hands.

[JAY VEE]

Just an update on what is happening to us so far...The Sunrise SW continues to visit my daughter at school although she is fully aware that we do not want her there.Despite the school promising me that they absolutely would not grant access to her,they let her visit our daughter again today.We also had a meeting at the school earlier this week where the Sunrise SW was present and I politely made my feelings clear about this.The Sunrise SW then blurted out some information about a CSE incident involving our daughter that we had never been informed about.She then lied & said we had clearly been told this some time ago.Our LA SW & her manager were also present.The Sunrise SW then begged them to intervene & override our decision to refuse her access to our child.They both informed her that the LA SS have no legal power to go against our wishes on this matter.

Today the LA SW visited us at home and told me that as we do not wish for the Sunrise SW to be involved,she views it that we are not caring for our daughters mental wellbeing & that she was taking it to a Child Protection Conference.She insisted that it was not a threat but I beg to differ.We agree with her that our daughter clearly needs some CSE counselling & advice as well as mental health support (which she is getting from Healthy Young Minds) but the LA SW insists that we use the Sunrise Team.I would have thought that she could help us seeking an alternative source for this? I am reluctant to use another Sunrise SW as I feel that they would be biased against us as we disagree strongly with their actions so far.I have contacted a legal firm who specialiizes in cases involving children & SS but they may not be able to take the case on as there may be a conflict of interest as one of their team is representing another person involved in the CSE case with my daughter.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear JAY VEE

Thank you for your further and updating posts regarding this matter.

There appears to be an issue with the social worker from Sunrise who has been visiting your daughter against your wishes. You say you have expressed your concerns about this social worker’s involvement but she persists in visiting your daughter. Do you have a clear idea about the role of this social worker and what she wants to achieve with your daughter? From what you say happened at a recent meeting when information regarding your daughter was shared, it seems the social worker has not been open with you.

Children’s services are right that they do not have a legal right to override what you say because they do not have parental responsibility for your daughter. You have parental responsibility for your daughter and so does her father if you are married or he is named on her birth certificate. Please see our advice sheet Parental Responsibility for information.

It might also be helpful if you make contact with Sunrise and asked for details of exactly what the organisations role is relating to child sexual exploitation (CSE) and their policy for working with families. They should also have a complaints policy so if you are dissatisfied you can ask for this in order to make a formal complaint about how the social worker has handled the case involving your daughter.
Your local authority may also have a policy in respect of CSE and you can ask the social worker to provide you with a copy. You may also find it helpful to read the Department of Education guide which is here

Children’s services have, you say, indicated that they are of the view that you are not safeguarding your daughter because you do not wish to engage with Sunrise and, as a result intend to convene an initial child protection conference. The basis for a child protection conference is that a child has suffered harm and is a risk of suffering significant harm in the future. You say information was disclosed of something happening to your daughter so this may be one of the reasons why a child protection conference is now being considered. Our advice sheet Child protection procedures will give you more details about child protection. You may also wish to watch the film on our website about how a conference is conducted. There is a link here

At the initial child protection conference you will see that professionals involved with your daughter will attend and, it maybe, that things will be clearer for you if a conference does take place. The outcome of the conference could be that your daughter is place on a child protection or child in need plan.

It is important that you engage and work with children’s services as if there is child protection plan it will set out what you are expected to do and failure to adhere to the plan could lead to children’s service taking further action to safeguard your daughter.

To identify a solicitor you can go to the Law Society's website and under Find a Solicitor try to identify a solicitor in your area accredited to the children panel. Alternatively, the solicitor you have already contacted might be able to refer you to another firm if there is a conflict.

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

I hope you find this helpful.

Best wishes

Suzie

[Triesch]

We had our social worker knock the door about 7 in the evening. It was already dark and I never have or ever will answer the door after dark. He left a note saying he called, I called the office and told them to phone first in future