Assessment

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Mum2junior
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2018 1:16 pm

Assessment

Post by Mum2junior » Wed Aug 29, 2018 7:50 pm

Hi i recently was admitted to a mental health hospital. And the social services now want to assess me i left england for ireland with my child and have been in contact with social services here. Which have signed me off.. can anyone tell me what is an assessment and what does this mean for us if i return to england. They said they want my child to be with his father while they assess me. I dont understand this as im a very good parent i have done parenting classes etc.

Kami2018
Posts: 98
Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2018 5:08 pm

Re: Assessment

Post by Kami2018 » Thu Aug 30, 2018 5:50 pm

There are different types of children's social care assessments tbh so with out knowing which assessment they want to carry out I'm unable to advice you but I will say that the fact you felt the need to move to avoid there assessment will cause them great deal of concern you should have let them carry out there assessment as it basically offers u support and esp if u suffer with mental health

Mum2junior
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2018 1:16 pm

Re: Assessment

Post by Mum2junior » Fri Aug 31, 2018 4:14 pm

Yes im feeling bad now for leaving but i felt i wanted to be with my family for a few weeks. But when i rang social back to tell them they said that they will have social services involved with me as they have concerns im a flight risk aand that they will want my child put to the father. But i dont know where he is now as he has left the area with his girlfriend sso i dont know what this means if i move back to uk. I want to move back but i dont want them to place my child in care. I dont mind doing assessments or having them involved in me at all providing my child stays with me. Iv had my mental helath and everyone to see me and my child over here (ireland) and everyone is v happy with us and seem to have us signed of everything. I no longer need medications and the docs said im doing a lot bette. Any advice please

Kami2018
Posts: 98
Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2018 5:08 pm

Re: Assessment

Post by Kami2018 » Sun Sep 02, 2018 11:33 am

I understand but the fact you took ur child away whilst children's services wanted to do a assessment they will obviously show great concerns when in return to UK,

Mum2junior
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2018 1:16 pm

Re: Assessment

Post by Mum2junior » Mon Sep 03, 2018 12:49 pm

I dont mind them assessing me or being involved but do you think they will place my child elsewhere till the carry out what they need to do.? I was speaking to the worker and she said what u said about going away and having concerns and they l place him with his dad but i dont know where his dad is i desperatly want to move bk to england. The social services here have signed me off. Does that aply for england too ?

Kami2018
Posts: 98
Joined: Sat Jun 16, 2018 5:08 pm

Re: Assessment

Post by Kami2018 » Tue Sep 04, 2018 12:37 am

Sorry I can't advice on were they might place him but I know they will have heightened there concerns because u moved away when they told u there plans , I can tell u that the law in Ireland is different to England and they will do a fresh assessment when u come back to England

Mum2junior
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2018 1:16 pm

Re: Assessment

Post by Mum2junior » Thu Sep 06, 2018 4:28 pm

Ok thank you. What would your advice be for me if you were in my situation ?

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Suzie, FRG Adviser
Posts: 4199
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm

Re: Assessment

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Fri Sep 07, 2018 3:16 pm

Hello Mum2junior

Welcome to the parents’ discussion board and thank you for posting.

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

I see from your post that you are feeling very worried about returning to England because you had children’s services involvement with you before you went to Ireland. You say that you engaged with children’s services there and they have signed you off. Did children’s services in England make contact with Ireland about their concerns? If not, why did they become involved with you whilst you were there?

If children’s services made contact with the local authority where you were staying and they carried out full assessments and were satisfied that there are no concerns then this information will be sent to the local authority in England. Even, if they did not inform them in the first place, children’s services can still request that information. It does not mean that children’s services will not want to carry out their own assessment to satisfy themselves regarding any safeguarding issues.

You say that you engaged with mental health services and have been given the all clear. There should be evidence from whomever provided you with this services so that you can show this to children’s services if you do return.

In your post you also mention that children’s services wanted your son to be with his father whilst the assessment of you was carried out. You do not say why they became involved and what concerns they had. However, it may be that because your mental health was not stable, that they thought it best for him to be with his father. This may not be necessary now if, as you say, you have been given the all clear.

Regarding the assessment to be carried out, it will depend on what the concerns were in the first place. Children’s services could carry out an assessment to decide in your child is in need and offer support. Also, it could be that it was thought that section 47 child protection was necessary. Alternatively, it may be that they wanted to carry out a parenting assessment. Please see our advice sheets Family support and Child protection procedures for more information.

You may also find it helpful to read our frequently asked questions relating to child protection

I hope this is helpful. However, if you wish to speak to an adviser about children’s services in England, please telephone our advice line on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open from 9.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday.

Best wishes

Suzie

Mum2junior
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2018 1:16 pm

Re: Assessment

Post by Mum2junior » Wed Sep 12, 2018 11:20 am

Thank you suzie for getting back to me. The social services got involved due to my mental breakdown but were previously involved due to domestic voilence between me and his dad. I rang the english social and they rand ireland to come check us out because they had concerns for my memtal health for leaving suddenly without in forming them. I can no longer get in touch with his father as him and his girlfriend are now having a baby of there own and he hasnt told me where he is. I want to go bk to the uk to friends because i cant find a home here in ireland. The english social worker said if i came back they d be looking to put him with his dad til the do their assessment and there l be a worker involved with me for awhile but if they see that everything is ok then there wont be need of one. How do i go abbout returning ? And how will i know if they ll leave my child with me or what. I dont have a phone to call the helpline. Thank you for reading my message

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Suzie, FRG Adviser
Posts: 4199
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm

Re: Assessment

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Fri Sep 14, 2018 1:00 pm

Dear Mum2junior

Thank you for your further post.

It is good that you actually contact children’s services in England to make them aware of where you had gone with your son. This at least gave them the opportunity to ask the social services where you were to check on you and your son.

If you return to England then children’s services will get information from the social services in Ireland about you so they will have a clear picture of how you managed whilst you have been there. Children’s services appear to know where your son’s father is and has discussed with him the possibility of him taking care of his son whilst they assess you. It is possible that children’s services could suggest at some stage that he consider whether he wishes to have him live with them permanently especially if your assessment is not positive. Do you have anyone else who would be able to look after your son if you or his father could not do so?

It may be that you would be offered a family support worker if the assessment show that is necessary. Alternatively, the social worker might mean that they will be involved until it is considered that you can safely look after your son and then the case would be closed. You will not know until the assessment is carried out what action children’s services will take or if your son will remain in your care.

Please that advice sheets which were sent to you in my last post to you. It might also be helpful for you to read this advice sheet An introductory guide to Children’s Services to see what the procedure is when children’s services receive a referral.


I am not sure what you mean by how you will go about returning. I think you will have to return the same way you left and I have no information about that. You say you will be staying with friends when you get back to England. Did you give up your accommodation when you left and what will that mean for you and your son in the long term?

Perhaps you could get some support from MIND. I suggest you have a look at their website.

If you are able at some stage to do so, you can telephone the advice line on 0808 801 0366 to speak to an adviser or post on the forum as you have been doing. The advice line is open from 9.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday.

I hope this is helpful.

Best wishes

Suzie

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