Social worker overstepping / medical records

[Elke]

We are under a Child in Need Plan which we have been fully cooperating with. There are no abuse or domestic violence concerns. Our daughters were said to be healthy, happy, and thriving by the social worker. The concerns were solely because I spent a lot of time hospitalised earlier this year due to an autoimmune flare up and this, obviously, is challenging on the whole family. The hospital notified child services about our situation. We understood this, but the children have had lots of support. The children’s father (my husband) works 4 out of 5 days from home. There has been a lot of support from grandparents and other relatives. This was the first time I needed hospitalisation in my life, though I’ve been living with this disorder for decades. My rheumatologist thinks it was because I contracted Covid and it triggered some bad effects. My health is slowly improving. I’m able to care for the kids almost as I normally would again. We thought that would mean child services involvement would wind down.

But it’s not. The social worker seems to be combing through our lives now trying to find something. I found out recently that she’s had several phone conversations with my GP. I don’t have anything to hide because I have already given her detailed accounts of my medical history, but I am really uncomfortable that she’s been allowed to access my health information and talk to my GP without my consent multiple times. I spoke to a solicitor who says I need to file a complaint about the GP as they breached my privacy. I’m all about cooperating to give the kids the support they need and get this done in the most harmonious way, but I have to admit that I am getting nervous. Things are improving except where child services is involved. The social worker seems to be overstepping. We’ve had no police or social services involvement in the past. I don’t understand what this social worker is looking for, but we are getting concerned.

[benion]

Child in Need is voluntary.
If they are causing stress, and doing more harm than good, simply tell them to close the case and you do not wish to avail yourself of their assistance further.
There is always a small chance they will react to this by ordering a Section 47 report, but that does not sound like the case here.
You have a right to a private family life. Tell them politely to go away.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Elke,

Welcome to the parents' board and thank you for your post.

You say that your daughters are under a child in need plan resulting from concerns around your hospitalisation earlier this year due to an autoimmune flare up. You say your children have a lot of support from family an that this was the first time that you needed to be hospitalised due to your condition. Your health is now improving and you are able to care for your children as you would have normally. You thought that children's services involvement would wind down, but instead say that the social worker has spoken to your GP without your consent. You have spoken to a solicitor, who says you need to file a complaint about the GP. You say that you have been working with children's services and want your children to get the support they need but you feel that children's services are overstepping and you feel nervous.

Firstly, as a previous poster has said, working with children's services under a child in need plan is voluntary. A child in need plan should set out a child's health or developmental needs, what help is needed, and what will be provided. A child in need plan should be specific and purposeful, with clear outcomes and actions. It may be helpful for you to look at the child in need plan to understand what children's services concerns were, what steps were expected to be taken by the family and other professionals and whether the intended outcomes have now been reached. If you think this is the case, you can speak to the social worker about timescales and when the case may be closed. You may want to express your worry that the case if drifting along.

Of course, you can withdraw your consent at any time. I would advise that before you do this, you discuss with the social worker what steps they may take if this were to happen. In some case, if children's services think the children would be at risk of harm if the family stopped working with them, they may initiate child protection enquiries. I would advise that you bring attention to the strengths within the family, what support you will continue to engage with and how you will ensure that the children's safety and wellbeing is prioritised.

In regards to the social worker speaking to your GP, it is understandable that you feel upset that your records were accessed without your consent. Given that you have been working well with children's services, there is no reason that your consent was not sought first. I would advise that you raise a complaint with children's services about this - please see here for more information on how you can do this.

Best wishes,

Suzie.