Final court hearing

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Minnie
Posts: 75
Joined: Tue Dec 15, 2015 7:02 am

Final court hearing

Post by Minnie » Fri Jun 24, 2016 8:12 pm

It's 3 weeks to the final hearing,it is starting to get very messy and confusing. The main concern of the LA is that I haven't worked with the professionals(the evidence suggests otherwise). My daughter has been diagnosed with complex behaviour issues which has been put solely put down to my ineffective boundary setting,one of the conditions is defying authority figures and pushing the boundaries constantly. She is very difficult to set boundaries wother,the advice given at the moment is to hold my hands up to ineffective boundary setting which I'm prepared to do. The LA authority is recommending the children go and live with their father who hasn't lived with them for four years and doesn't have experience of my daughter's behaviour. The child psychologist is recommending me and I feel the children's guardian is leaning towards me. The Guardian has been asking awarkward questions to the local authority especially how critical they have been of me and the stability of placing the girls with their father. The other professionals have been positive of me. The goals post keep been moved and I'm very confused. The children are showing signs of been confused and frightened. I don't know what to do and I'm taking my lead from the solicitor/barrister.

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

Re: Final court hearing

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Mon Jun 27, 2016 2:47 pm

Dear Minnie

Thank you for posting again.

Now the final hearing is coming you are about to go over the final hurdle to hopefully have your children back in your care.

In your post you say that the local authority’s main concern is that you have not worked with professionals. It will be for you and your legal team to make sure that the court is fully aware by pointing out to the judge at the hearing how well you have worked with them. If the evidence is there from reports the judge will have this anyway. The way you respond when giving evidence will also help the judge.

If the Guardian and other professionals think the children will be better off with you then it will be for the local authority to show the court why they disagree. I assume that both parents have positive assessments. In your case it might be conditional on things you need to change or take on board and if you have not been willing to do so, this might be the reason for the local authority’s view that you do not work with professionals.

Your daughter has had a diagnosis of complex behaviour issues so it might not be fair to say that it is only about boundaries. However, if your legal team has advised you to agree to lack of boundary setting they know your case best. At least then you can ask the local authority to give you appropriate help and support to help you in the future, taking account of the diagnosis your daughter has now.

I think the fact that you have been the children’s primary care should be an important factor but, as I do not know all the details of your case, I can only suggest that it will be for the judge hearing the case to reach his or her conclusion about what is best for the children.

It is always difficult being involved in care proceedings so I can understand your confusion but you should discuss this with solicitor so that any confusion that you have can be cleared up. Regarding the goal posts being changed as you say, it will be for your legal team to challenge the local authority on this as well if it is considered it has adversely affected you and your children.

As I have said earlier, if other professionals are supportive of you then the local authority have to show how and why their support is misguided or wrong.

You are doing absolutely the right thing to be led by your solicitor and barrister as they are the ones who know your case and have access to all the information and evidence.

I hope that all will go well for you at the final hearing and you will have the outcome you want.

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

Best wishes

Suzie

Minnie
Posts: 75
Joined: Tue Dec 15, 2015 7:02 am

Re: Final court hearing

Post by Minnie » Tue Jun 28, 2016 7:19 am

My parenting assessment wasn't positive but what he was writing was very unclear in what he was saying about me,it sounded personal,the children's father was positive and again my social worker has taken a very personal tack. It's personality differences, I have tried to work with the social worker,he is difficult to communicate with, I have asked questions when I haven't understood something or needed something clarified especially with my daughters. He didn't believe me when I told she had behaviour issues and then she went onto be diagnosed with 3 serious behaviour conditions which are causing massive issue in school and the foster placement with ability to manage her behaviour. The judge has questioned whether either myself or the father have changed. I know I have,it getting that across in court as what I have written in my statements,my social worker doesn't believe it. He has been extremely negative of me and the children's Guardian has raised how critical of me he has been and asked him in response to his statement. I hope I get the outcome I want,the girls are desperate to come home,my oldest daughter is clinging to me towards to the end of contact. The social worker told them his recommendations to go and live with their father and their behaviour change during contact. I didn't know they had been told at that point. It feels like things are reaching breaking point. My current social worker is leaving my local authority and moving to another at the end of this week. He is refusing to communicate with me,not responding to phone calls and emails. I had to email his boss to get him to respond last week. My family want a complaint to go in,I was reluctant but I may have changed my mind. He tried to stop myself and my family attending the family group meeting next week as he didn't feel we needed to be there. He was put back in place by the family group meeting organiser that it was the families choice of who attended and I told her we would be there.
I know families generally don't like the social worker but behaviour towards me and my family has horrendous. He hasn't put the girls at the fore front of any decisions he has made,the foster carers are saying they haven't been supported with my girls by the local authority especially in regards to my youngest daughter's behaviour.

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