Social services
Social services
Hello there I need some advice desperately I have a child who's been in foster care for the last 2 years she's a very mixed up little girl she got abused by her step grandfather who's in prison she's having therapeutic therapy and she has came out with a false allegation against me Iam her mother I also have 3 children and Iam 8months pregnant due to have a c section on the 27th June and on Tuesday evening at 7pm the social services knocked on my door with a police Officor and took my other 3 kids away me and my partner have done nottin wrong we love our children and I would never do anything like what my daughter is alledging against me at all but she hasn't said anything against the kids dad but they won't let us have our kids back there's no evidence or proof I the mother have offered to move out so tha our kids can be returned home Iam going out of my mind here I've done Notting wrong at all never been involved with the police or anything someone please help the police protection order runs out Tomo at 7pm and our kids are still not back home and Iam heavily pregnant don't know what to do but Iam distraught becoz I have done Notting wrong but yet our kids have been taken off us someone please help us we going out of our minds plus they have split the kids up too my 4yr old daughter and 3yr old son are together but my 2yr old son is not wit them after the 72hrs is up on the police protection order is up wil they return our children?
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Suzie, FRG Adviser
- Posts: 4230
- Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm
Re: Social services
Hello Harley100
My name is Suzie and I am an adviser at Family Rights Group. I am sorry that it has taken me a few days to respond to your post. I can see that you are in an awful and desperate situation.
You explained that your children were removed in to police protection following an allegation by your older daughter. The period of police protection was due to expire on Friday evening so your situation will obviously have moved forward now.
At the end of the period of police protection, children's services would have had 3 options,
- To return your children to your care or the care of someone else with parental responsibility for them
- To persuade you to agree to the children being accommodated under section 20 of the Children Act
- To make an application to court for a care order allowing them to keep the children in care.
Could you update me about the current situation so that I can advise more fully?
If the children do remain in care, whether under section 20 or a care order, you still have parental responsibility for them and have a right to be involved in planning for their care. I would advise that you read our advice sheet about the duties of children's services when children are 'looked after' as this gives detailed information about a number of relevant issues including placement, planning and contact.
There are a number of issues that I would advise you to consider urgently and raise with the social worker,
-Is there anyone within your family who could care for the children while investigations are being completed? If so, this should be brought to the social worker's attention as soon as possible.
- Children's services have a responsibility to place siblings together if possible and in their best interests. Is there a plan to reunite the children and what are the timescales for this?
- What contact arrangements are in place for the children to see you and each other?
- when will the first looked after child review meeting be held so that the above can be discussed in greater detail?
If the children remain in care, it is vital that you seek legal advice urgently, if you have not already done so. You can search for a children law solicitor in your area on the law society website. Try to find solicitors who are members of the children law accreditation scheme.
I hope this is a helpful start but please do come back and update us so that we can continue to advise you. Alternatively, you could call our free and confidential advice line (0808 801 0366) between 9.30am- 3pm, Monday- Friday and speak to an adviser directly.
Take Care
Suzie
FRG Adviser
My name is Suzie and I am an adviser at Family Rights Group. I am sorry that it has taken me a few days to respond to your post. I can see that you are in an awful and desperate situation.
You explained that your children were removed in to police protection following an allegation by your older daughter. The period of police protection was due to expire on Friday evening so your situation will obviously have moved forward now.
At the end of the period of police protection, children's services would have had 3 options,
- To return your children to your care or the care of someone else with parental responsibility for them
- To persuade you to agree to the children being accommodated under section 20 of the Children Act
- To make an application to court for a care order allowing them to keep the children in care.
Could you update me about the current situation so that I can advise more fully?
If the children do remain in care, whether under section 20 or a care order, you still have parental responsibility for them and have a right to be involved in planning for their care. I would advise that you read our advice sheet about the duties of children's services when children are 'looked after' as this gives detailed information about a number of relevant issues including placement, planning and contact.
There are a number of issues that I would advise you to consider urgently and raise with the social worker,
-Is there anyone within your family who could care for the children while investigations are being completed? If so, this should be brought to the social worker's attention as soon as possible.
- Children's services have a responsibility to place siblings together if possible and in their best interests. Is there a plan to reunite the children and what are the timescales for this?
- What contact arrangements are in place for the children to see you and each other?
- when will the first looked after child review meeting be held so that the above can be discussed in greater detail?
If the children remain in care, it is vital that you seek legal advice urgently, if you have not already done so. You can search for a children law solicitor in your area on the law society website. Try to find solicitors who are members of the children law accreditation scheme.
I hope this is a helpful start but please do come back and update us so that we can continue to advise you. Alternatively, you could call our free and confidential advice line (0808 801 0366) between 9.30am- 3pm, Monday- Friday and speak to an adviser directly.
Take Care
Suzie
FRG Adviser
Re: Social services
Hello suzie thanks for replying to my comment the children have been returned to their farther but they have asked me to move out the family home which I have done so Iam 33 weeks pregnant and Iam living in the kids dads mums and she is living in my house with the children and their farther Iam allowed to see the kids whenever as long as their nan supervises contact but the kids dad isn't allowed to bring the kids to see me without his mum being there it's a nightmare becoz his mum has a bad leg and she's 60 we waiting for police to interview my eldest daughter who's in foster care and we have a child protection conference meetin on the 3rd of June my kids are missing me terribly and Iam getting very stressed out coz Iam on my own so far gone in my pregnancy Iam having c section on 27th June what wil happen to my baby? I have done nottin wrong at all never been involved with police ever what my daughter is accusing me of is sick and I would never hurt any of my children but I think my daughter is angry at me for having other kids coz she said to her therapist wish it could jus be me and my mummy and no other kids she's lied before about various things her head very messed up coz she was abused by her step grandfather who's in prison but social services stopped my contact in Feb this year for 3months coz she wasn't copiing well wit it and since contact stopped she has made this allegation against me my family has Been ripped apart jus wanna know when I can go back home and what wil happen to my baby?
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Suzie, FRG Adviser
- Posts: 4230
- Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm
Re: Social services
Dear Harley,
Thank you for posting back. I am glad that your children are back at home with dad and that you are having as much contact as you want, as long as the children’s nan supervises it.
Until the police and children services have investigated the allegations, they have to assume that you could be dangerous to your children (even if you are not).
So until the investigation has been completed, it is really important that you cooperate and stick to the plan of having supervised contact with your children.
But you should ask the social worker and police how long the investigation will take. Ask them when can you move back home. The investigation may well be over before you go into hospital for the c section.
If the investigation does look like it will take a longer, ask about a plan for when your baby is born. If they still had concerns about whether you might be a danger to your children, they might want you to agree to your baby living with dad rather than with you.
However, before you agree to this ask about other options. Such as:
• You and baby staying together but being supervised by another family member,
• You and baby going into a mother and baby unit,
• You and baby being supervised in a foster placement.
• Or could it be safe for you to return home with dad and grandmother supervising you?
If the investigation had not been completed by the time your baby is due, then you could seek urgent legal advice from a solicitor who specialises in children law. You can find a solicitor from The Law Society-find a solicitor website.
You are at the very early stages of the investigation so you probably feel very worried and overwhelmed.
If you are to be interviewed by the police, remember to have a solicitor who specialises in criminal law representing you, even though you know that you are innocent.
The social worker should be letting you know what is happening during the investigation. If she is not communicating well with you have a look at
tips for working with children services.
Always ask about timescales and ask what can you do or what needs to happen before you are re united with your other children.
You could also ask that children services arrange for a Family Group Conference to take place. This type of meeting is to look for support (such as around contact) in your friend and family network.
I hope this helps but please come back for further advice if you need it or call our advice line on 0808 801 0366.
Best wishes,
Suzie
Thank you for posting back. I am glad that your children are back at home with dad and that you are having as much contact as you want, as long as the children’s nan supervises it.
Until the police and children services have investigated the allegations, they have to assume that you could be dangerous to your children (even if you are not).
So until the investigation has been completed, it is really important that you cooperate and stick to the plan of having supervised contact with your children.
But you should ask the social worker and police how long the investigation will take. Ask them when can you move back home. The investigation may well be over before you go into hospital for the c section.
If the investigation does look like it will take a longer, ask about a plan for when your baby is born. If they still had concerns about whether you might be a danger to your children, they might want you to agree to your baby living with dad rather than with you.
However, before you agree to this ask about other options. Such as:
• You and baby staying together but being supervised by another family member,
• You and baby going into a mother and baby unit,
• You and baby being supervised in a foster placement.
• Or could it be safe for you to return home with dad and grandmother supervising you?
If the investigation had not been completed by the time your baby is due, then you could seek urgent legal advice from a solicitor who specialises in children law. You can find a solicitor from The Law Society-find a solicitor website.
You are at the very early stages of the investigation so you probably feel very worried and overwhelmed.
If you are to be interviewed by the police, remember to have a solicitor who specialises in criminal law representing you, even though you know that you are innocent.
The social worker should be letting you know what is happening during the investigation. If she is not communicating well with you have a look at
tips for working with children services.
Always ask about timescales and ask what can you do or what needs to happen before you are re united with your other children.
You could also ask that children services arrange for a Family Group Conference to take place. This type of meeting is to look for support (such as around contact) in your friend and family network.
I hope this helps but please come back for further advice if you need it or call our advice line on 0808 801 0366.
Best wishes,
Suzie
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