Hi Nessie,
I am not sure what is happening with your posts. I will let out administrator know.
This was my response to your post about viability assessments.
"Hello,
Has anyone ever heard of a parent having a viability assessment? I have looked it up and it seems to be aimed at friends and family only. A full care order was granted May 2016 due to mental health and it's affect on my parenting skills. Also should I contact a solicitor at this stage? Many thanks."
Hi Nessie,
Because you have talked about your children being returned home to you from care, I assume you are talking about you being assessed to see whether this can happen.
A decision to rehabilitate a child home can only take place after there has been an assessment to see whether this could happen and if so, what support will be needed to make sure the return home goes to plan.
A viability assessment is usually used in the context of friends and family being assessed as foster carers.
However, what viability means, is the short “initial” assessment to decide whether or not to proceed to a full assessment.
Because children services procedures around family assessments have been localised-so it is up to local authorities how they assess-it may be that your local authority calls these first assessments “viability”.
If it is a viability assessment, it may be easier for you to challenge if it was negative. Is it fair to make a decision on very limited information?
I suggest you find out from the social worker what it means. How many visits will it entail, what reports do they need from you? What else will do you (or your family) need to do?
Best wishes,
Suzie