New referral - what to expect?

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Upsydaisy
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jan 17, 2016 7:57 pm

New referral - what to expect?

Post by Upsydaisy » Tue Jan 19, 2016 2:02 pm

My husband assaulted me in 2012 in front of our two children.The police informed social services who came out once and we didn't hear back from them.I fell pregnant in 2014 and upon booking with a midwife was asked whether we had previous social work involvement and I truthfully told her what had happened.She referred us back to them only for them to initiate a child protection plan that apparently should have been done at the time of the assault but a paperwork error occurred and nothing was followed up.My husband moved out at their request and lived separately from us and attended all the courses and meetings they asked of him for 7 months.We both completed the Freedom course.He was then allowed to move back home and once our youngest child was born(October 2014) all three were removed from the child protection register and put into a child in need plan for three months.After this they closed the case (March 2015).I am now expecting again and upon booking with the midwife I was asked about social services involvement and I explained.She said that she had to make a new referral to let them know I'm pregnant again.Does anyone know why this is?They said they no longer believe my children were at risk,my husband was assessed and allowed back into the family home.I am terrified.I feel sick.What can I expect to happen now?

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

Re: New referral - what to expect?

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Wed Jan 20, 2016 2:58 pm

Dear Upsydaisy

Welcome to the Family Rights Group Parents’ Discussion Forum

My name is Suzie an online Adviser at Family Rights Group.

I am so sorry to see that you are feeling terrified and sick when you should be a happy expectant mum.

You are clearly worried about your midwife making a referral to Children Services to say that you are pregnant. This is a routine referral by the midwife because there was previous involvement with Children Services. If you have had no further incidents and there is nothing for children services to be concerned about regarding care of your children, whilst understandable your worry may be unnecessary.

The procedure once Children Services receive the referral is that they will make contact with you and your husband. A social worker may visit you to discuss the referral. If there are no concerns (your case was closed in March 2015) so it seems unlikely, the social worker could say that there are no concerns and not purposing the matter further. In the event, that there are concerns, then a decision would be made to carry out an assessment. This would be in later into pregnancy (it is not clear from your post how pregnant you are) around 25 to 27weeks. The pre-birth assessment would be decide if there are any child protection concerns for the unborn baby. If there were then a pre-birth planning meeting would be arranged to say what would happen after the birth and what support might be needed.

As you and your husband have worked successfully with children services in the past I do not you will have anything to worry about. I say this on the basis that no concerns arise during your pregnancy.

Please do not worry too much, the midwife would have to make a referral even if someone had children services involvement many years before. It is a safeguarding referral which health care and other professionals working with children have a duty to make.
Please read our frequently asked questions relating to being pregnant after previous children services involvement. In your case your children were never removed so this is not a worry you will have. Also, please see here

If you wish to speak to an Adviser, please do telephone our free, confidential advice line on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open Monday to Friday from 9.30 a.m. to 3.00 p.m.

I hope you will find this helpful and that you will feel less terrified.

Best wishes,

Suzie

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