Are Children's Social Care also guilty of 'Failing to Protect'?

[Har1Her1]

Hello,

Our family has been in a bad situation for some time. I have written about this on other forums. However, both our children are now under a Child Protection Plan and I have separated from my husband. My children cannot live together due to the alleged abuse/behaviour between them, so we are trying to adapt to being two separate families. The CPP has been undertaken on the grounds of 'Emotional Abuse' from my husband and my failure to protect.

I am still confused and the hardship that it has caused all members of our family, in terms of potential homelessness, potential loss of employment (due to increased caring responsibilities), financial problems and terrific emotional stress, is probably making me bitter. However, I am convinced that Children's Social Care have also failed to protect our children.

For example: several years ago the children disclosed that my husband had hit them and pinned them to the ground. Their disclosure also stated that 'Daddy often does this'. I was too scared to leave and failed to protect them. Yet CSC closed the case after initial assessment. Did they not fail to protect too? Recently, in a CAMHS unit,my son made disclosures about physical, sexual and emotional abuse by his father and younger brother. CSC were informed, but allowed him to be discharged back into the family home. When my son cut his arms after being sent home, CSC recommended that he went back to the family home under my protection. Yet, where was the Child Protection we were asking for? When my eldest son was taken to hospital after he refused to come home from school and was threatening that he would kill himself and his father and brother because they abused him, he was left on a children's ward for 11 days with me as a place of safety because they could not or would not find him a foster placement. Finally, I asked my sister to give us refuge but in arranging this, my youngest son is left separated from me. It also left my youngest son in the 'care' of a man who on the day of the Child Protection Strategy Meeting openly admitted that he had hit him. CSC said my youngest should remain with his father, despite the fact that his father hits him and is known to emotionally abuse both boys because 'he is more resilient than his brother'! The poor boy is under CAMHS, refuses school and has an anxiety disorder. He is only 14. he is NOT resilient! Yes, I failed to protect him, but now I am not there to even try to protect him and CSC have left him in a place where they know he will be subject to abuse however much he tries to laugh it off. So yes, I tried to protect the children and failed. My husband cannot help what he does, he has a disability and mental health issues. Our lives are broken, yet CSC, in my opinion, have not made the right decisions on many occasions and this has not only resulted in a massive negligence of duty and failure to protect, but it has given me and my husband the impression that trying to manage the situation without separation was the right thing to do. It was not and I think fear stopped me from doing what i should have done. Yet I really need to know if I should or could bring a case against Children's Social Care once the boys are off their plan. I also need to know what I can do about my youngest son who, in my opinion, is still suffering emotional harm.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Har1Her2

From your post it is clear that your family is in the bad situation and this, not only because of the separation from your youngest son, but your feelings of frustration about the lack of support from Children Services.

Your children are both on Child Protection Plans and the plan should include the help that is going to be provided to them to address their individual needs. If your youngest son is at risk of physical abuse from his father, it is not clear why Children Services consider that it is safe for him to be in your husband’s care.

Your eldest son is disabled and therefore he is automatically a child in need. It may be that due to his age Children Services do not want to accommodate him or they may have difficulty finding a placement. This should not prevent them ensuring that they provide properly for his specific needs. It may be that a therapeutic community might help him but that depends on whether you are willing to agree to him being accommodated away from you. You should consider what support you feel your son and you need at this time.

Has CAMHS made any recommendations about exactly what your sons will need to help them cope with their respective situation?

You are clearly very unhappy about the decisions that Children Services have made regarding your children and the lack of support you have had. The best way to deal with the concerns you have would be to make a formal complaint about the decisions that Children Services has made in relation to your children. I have included here a copy of our advice sheet relating to challenging decisions and making complaints.

Children Services should be consider how best to keep your youngest son safe and that is not with his father who has admitted physical abuse. It may be that he needs to live away from his father so Children Services should be given you their reasons for not accommodating him from an unsafe situation.

Please do telephone our advice line if you wish to speak to an Adviser. The telephone number is 0808 801 0366 and the advice line is open Monday to Friday from 9.30 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.

I hope you find the information helpful.

Best wishes

Suzie