Hi Sopho,
Yes the midwife will have to make a referral as well. However, you have shown that you are being cooperative (as you have been so in the past) and so it should go in your favour. A note will be made on your file about the discussion with you which will be taken into account when the midwife sends in her referral.
When the referral from the midwife is received then children services will decide whether or not to open a new assessment and will notify the midwife of their decision.
For the assessment process, you could look at the online procedures in the area that you live or have a look at our information about assessments..
Best wishes,
Suzie
what should I do
Re: what should I do
Hi I saw the midwife a couple weeks ago and have had a scan now so have a due date I haven't heard anything from children's services yet but today I noticed in my maternity noted in the curent pregnancy section under social problems it says safe guarding issues what does that mean? Will I hear from social services or should I already have?
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Suzie, FRG Adviser
- Posts: 4234
- Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm
Re: what should I do
Dear Sopho15
It merely means that your baby has been assessed as potential risk. Therefore, as already stated, Childrens' Services are likely to receive a referral to see if further assessments, protective action and/ or supports will need to be put in place to keep your unborn child safe at this time. You can expect to be contacted by the Local Authority in the near future with information about what is being planned next.
I hope this helps.
Best Wishes
Suzie
It merely means that your baby has been assessed as potential risk. Therefore, as already stated, Childrens' Services are likely to receive a referral to see if further assessments, protective action and/ or supports will need to be put in place to keep your unborn child safe at this time. You can expect to be contacted by the Local Authority in the near future with information about what is being planned next.
I hope this helps.
Best Wishes
Suzie
Re: what should I do
It's been a few weeks now and I still haven't heard anything I'm 17 weeks pregnant now and not due to see the midwife till around 25 weeks. Still wondering what's going on if anythings going on or if I've just been left to get on with things, the only thing I am getting from all of this is that there can't be much concern other wise I would of heard something by now.
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Suzie, FRG Adviser
- Posts: 4234
- Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm
Re: what should I do
Dear Sopho15
Welcome back.
I am sorry that you are still feeling frustrated by the lack of contact from Children Services.
My advice is that you continue to do what you are doing attending to see your midwife and following any instructions you are given with regard to keeping your baby safe.
It may be that Children Services have not been in touch with you yet because it is still early in your pregnancy and often they wait until later on into the pregnancy to carry out an assessment. There is very little that can happen until after the baby is born. If they do decide to that your baby might be at risk then, as previously advised, they will carry out child protection enquiries and decide whether your unborn baby needs to be on a child protection plan. Also, there is likely to be a pre-birth planning meeting to discuss what will happen when the baby is born if Children Services has any concerns.
I suggest that you try not to worry too much and enjoy your pregnancy although I appreciate it is difficult when you do not know what it going to happen. It could be that Children Services think that you have been open and honest and engaging with services so there is nothing for them to do at this stage. If they had serious concerns I think they would have been in touch with you.
As you are finding the wait hard, you could contact Children Services to ask what they intend to do regarding your unborn baby. I suggest that you put it in writing and ask for a written response. At least you will have a clear indication of their intention rather than having to worry about it.
I am including again the link to our frequently asked questions and the advice sheet about child protection procedures. Do read these and I hope you will get a better understanding of your current situation.
Should you wish to speak to an adviser, please do telephone our advice line on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open form 9.30 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Hope this is helpful
Best wishes,
Suzie
Welcome back.
I am sorry that you are still feeling frustrated by the lack of contact from Children Services.
My advice is that you continue to do what you are doing attending to see your midwife and following any instructions you are given with regard to keeping your baby safe.
It may be that Children Services have not been in touch with you yet because it is still early in your pregnancy and often they wait until later on into the pregnancy to carry out an assessment. There is very little that can happen until after the baby is born. If they do decide to that your baby might be at risk then, as previously advised, they will carry out child protection enquiries and decide whether your unborn baby needs to be on a child protection plan. Also, there is likely to be a pre-birth planning meeting to discuss what will happen when the baby is born if Children Services has any concerns.
I suggest that you try not to worry too much and enjoy your pregnancy although I appreciate it is difficult when you do not know what it going to happen. It could be that Children Services think that you have been open and honest and engaging with services so there is nothing for them to do at this stage. If they had serious concerns I think they would have been in touch with you.
As you are finding the wait hard, you could contact Children Services to ask what they intend to do regarding your unborn baby. I suggest that you put it in writing and ask for a written response. At least you will have a clear indication of their intention rather than having to worry about it.
I am including again the link to our frequently asked questions and the advice sheet about child protection procedures. Do read these and I hope you will get a better understanding of your current situation.
Should you wish to speak to an adviser, please do telephone our advice line on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open form 9.30 a.m. to 3.00 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Hope this is helpful
Best wishes,
Suzie
Re: what should I do
Hello once again I need some advice about my situation i have had my son since the last time I posted he is 3weeks old now anyway the health visitor made w refferal to social services because she was under the impression that my boys dad lives here, I explained to the social worker that he doesn't but does spend alot of time here that he has been coming to see our son everyday for the last year and since the baby has been born he has been staying over so I'm not on my own with the two children, on the phone she said this was OK but then I received a letter that's says:
We have received a refferal from your health visitor requesting a social work assessment. We have discussed this refferal and you are aware that the concerns due to the previous child protection plan. I have requested the social worker is allocated to complete and assessment as i have reviewed the last case closure and feel that the expectations of social care are not clear in respect to fathers contact with children. At the point of closure this was to be supervised by family members and there does not appear to be any decision to scale this down. I also feel that given the amount of time you say father is in your home caring for his children that he is effectively part of your house hold.
The last time My old social worker came to see me I asked about how contact should be continued in the future and she said that it would be up to me so I didn't feel I was doing anything wrong.
Can the social worker stop him from spending as much time at our home? My three year old has got used to seeing him nearly everyday for aslong as I can remember and everyday for at least a year and I'm so glad he's been staying to help me with the new baby I really don't want this to stop, the lady on the phone said they won't ask him to leave but I'm not sure that'll be the case, what is the likely outcome of the assessment going to be? I was really enjoying not having social services this time around but since the phone call I've been so stressed and upset I just don't no what to do, or what is going to happen now
We have received a refferal from your health visitor requesting a social work assessment. We have discussed this refferal and you are aware that the concerns due to the previous child protection plan. I have requested the social worker is allocated to complete and assessment as i have reviewed the last case closure and feel that the expectations of social care are not clear in respect to fathers contact with children. At the point of closure this was to be supervised by family members and there does not appear to be any decision to scale this down. I also feel that given the amount of time you say father is in your home caring for his children that he is effectively part of your house hold.
The last time My old social worker came to see me I asked about how contact should be continued in the future and she said that it would be up to me so I didn't feel I was doing anything wrong.
Can the social worker stop him from spending as much time at our home? My three year old has got used to seeing him nearly everyday for aslong as I can remember and everyday for at least a year and I'm so glad he's been staying to help me with the new baby I really don't want this to stop, the lady on the phone said they won't ask him to leave but I'm not sure that'll be the case, what is the likely outcome of the assessment going to be? I was really enjoying not having social services this time around but since the phone call I've been so stressed and upset I just don't no what to do, or what is going to happen now
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Suzie, FRG Adviser
- Posts: 4234
- Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm
Re: what should I do
Dear Sopho15
Welcome back to the Discussion Forum and thanks for your post.
Congratulations on the birth of your son.
I am sorry that you are feeling worried and stressed by recent events which has led to a referral being made by your health visitor to children services.
Having looked again at some of your previous posts, it seems that you worked with children services in the past and they agreed to contact between your eldest son and his father. The concern was about you and the father living together again because of the history of domestic violence.
Unfortunately, the impression is that you are together, you have a new baby son and he is there all the time. The amount of time he is spending with you and the children is, as far as children services are concerned from the letter you received, that he is living there. If this is the case, it is best to be honest and open about it and ask children services to take into account the work he had done in relation to domestic violence. The letter you refer to states that following closure of the case the contact arrangements were unclear. If contact was being supervised at the beginning, then you need to let them know. Also, if you were told by a social worker that he could have unsupervised contact and it is up to you then it would be unreasonable to now say it is wrong for him to have unlimited contact.
It appears that you did keep children services involved when he was visiting the home and there was no issue with it. However, it could be seen that the information you gave at the time was not the whole story, if he is spending all day every day with you and the children now. If you do want to live with him again now, ask for a risk assessment to be carried out on your children’s father to decide if he is a risk to you and the children.
Children services may take the view that it is safer if you are not living together and are cautious because of what happened before when they agreed for you both to be living together and the result was he assaulted you. He has since then had the benefit of attending courses to improve his behaviour and you also have a better understanding of domestic violence from the course you did.
I suggest that you both cooperate and work openly with children services during the assessment. It is not possible for me to say what the outcome will be but it could be that (1) children services are fine with the current arrangement,; (2) feel that he should spend less time (3) decide it should return to supervised contact. The outcome will depend on what they find out during the assessment.
Try not to be too stressed as the concerns are similar to their previous involvement and about ensuring that you and the children are safe and not at risk of harm. Children services will, I think, take all the circumstances into account including the support he provides in caring for the children.
Please read the information here about domestic violence. I have included our advice sheets about child protection procedures and family support for you to read.
Should you wish to speak to an adviser, please telephone our 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 find this helpful.
Best wishes
Suzie
Welcome back to the Discussion Forum and thanks for your post.
Congratulations on the birth of your son.
I am sorry that you are feeling worried and stressed by recent events which has led to a referral being made by your health visitor to children services.
Having looked again at some of your previous posts, it seems that you worked with children services in the past and they agreed to contact between your eldest son and his father. The concern was about you and the father living together again because of the history of domestic violence.
Unfortunately, the impression is that you are together, you have a new baby son and he is there all the time. The amount of time he is spending with you and the children is, as far as children services are concerned from the letter you received, that he is living there. If this is the case, it is best to be honest and open about it and ask children services to take into account the work he had done in relation to domestic violence. The letter you refer to states that following closure of the case the contact arrangements were unclear. If contact was being supervised at the beginning, then you need to let them know. Also, if you were told by a social worker that he could have unsupervised contact and it is up to you then it would be unreasonable to now say it is wrong for him to have unlimited contact.
It appears that you did keep children services involved when he was visiting the home and there was no issue with it. However, it could be seen that the information you gave at the time was not the whole story, if he is spending all day every day with you and the children now. If you do want to live with him again now, ask for a risk assessment to be carried out on your children’s father to decide if he is a risk to you and the children.
Children services may take the view that it is safer if you are not living together and are cautious because of what happened before when they agreed for you both to be living together and the result was he assaulted you. He has since then had the benefit of attending courses to improve his behaviour and you also have a better understanding of domestic violence from the course you did.
I suggest that you both cooperate and work openly with children services during the assessment. It is not possible for me to say what the outcome will be but it could be that (1) children services are fine with the current arrangement,; (2) feel that he should spend less time (3) decide it should return to supervised contact. The outcome will depend on what they find out during the assessment.
Try not to be too stressed as the concerns are similar to their previous involvement and about ensuring that you and the children are safe and not at risk of harm. Children services will, I think, take all the circumstances into account including the support he provides in caring for the children.
Please read the information here about domestic violence. I have included our advice sheets about child protection procedures and family support for you to read.
Should you wish to speak to an adviser, please telephone our 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 find this helpful.
Best wishes
Suzie
Re: what should I do
Thank you for replying the lady on the phone said that if we are together then that's OK just be honest , we have decided that now social services are going to be involved anyway that we want to be together as one of the main reason we weren't together is that we didn't want to be involved with social services again so decided not to but spending so much time together anyway, ive got used to him being here helping me with the new baby the thought that I'm gunna have to do it all on my own really is getting to me, the lady that I spoke with on the phone also spoke to my mum and told her that they won't ask him to leave but can she say that before the assessments even been carried out? When you said they could decided that it should be supervised contact did you mean by some one other then me? If that is what they decide is there anything I can do about it? Because in the end I would like us to live together and be a family
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Suzie, FRG Adviser
- Posts: 4234
- Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm
Re: what should I do
Dear Sopho15
I was responding to the issue of contact and your question about what could happen. Of course, you could say you want to continue supervising contact. Children services have said they will assess the situation so I think it best to wait and see.
You cannot know what they are going to say after the assessment and trying to speculate will only cause you further worry and stress which will not be good for you or your baby.
As I explained earlier, it is best to be honest and open about what you want to do, you do not want to be in the position where children services believe that you have been dishonest and less than open.
Please cooperate and work with children services as this is the best way to get the outcome you wish.
Best wishes
Suzie
I was responding to the issue of contact and your question about what could happen. Of course, you could say you want to continue supervising contact. Children services have said they will assess the situation so I think it best to wait and see.
You cannot know what they are going to say after the assessment and trying to speculate will only cause you further worry and stress which will not be good for you or your baby.
As I explained earlier, it is best to be honest and open about what you want to do, you do not want to be in the position where children services believe that you have been dishonest and less than open.
Please cooperate and work with children services as this is the best way to get the outcome you wish.
Best wishes
Suzie
Re: what should I do
The social worker came today to do her assessment she said it would take a while to hear back from her, but she didn't really say much to us about what would happen she didn't ask my partner to leave or spend less time here would she of done that today if that's what they wanted to do?
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