Help pls..
Some weeks ago me and my husband had an argument, I called this friend in a hope that she would help me out resolving the situation.
This friend of mine had a video of me showing the wound on my knee hurt when I fell in the park (nothing to do with my husband) which I recorded so I can show it to gp in case it doesn’t heal and gp knows how deep the wound was.
This friend of mine and I fell out recently and she has passed this video to other friend who and I don’t see eye to eye as she has thing for my husband (we’ve hardly met though) and she has reported my husband to the police. Police came and spoke to me and they were ok. The few days later another dv police lady came, showed me the video and I was shocked on how she got hold of it but there was nothing that showed her of my husband hitting me or anything. The police lady also said that this friend of mine is very hard to deal with and want my husband to be arrested. She seemed pretty convinced that there was no dv(as there is none) and she will be closing the case. I also got a text from her saying that “report has been filed, thank you for understanding”)
I also asked her if I can make a complaint against this person and she said that if she was me, she wouldn’t do anything as it’s not gonna make any difference until the police’s times are getting wasted a lot because of that person and advised me to block this person if I have her number.
Today I got a call from social worker now who again asked me the same thing and I said there has been no DV and I know my rights and I am well educated and have full support of friends and family and my husband is a lovely person who loves me and my son more than anything and I don’t know why this person is eager to destroy our family and that I am tired of explaining things. She said police have sent the referral, also said that police aren’t taking it any further but she needs to know what’s happening and that if anything happens in future she will put us on some child protection or something to which I said the report itself is false and not something I have made so I don’t understand why are we getting punished. She said that if I need any assessment for DV and if I know where to go if it happens. I said to her that first of all there hasn’t been any DV so don’t need assessment for that and if it happens I know where to go. She said that she will speak to her manager and get back to me.
I am now scared as I had enough of this drama. Just because someone got hold of some videos we are in this ****. Can you please advise what can happen now? And what does all these mean? Will my child have to suffer anything because of all these?
Social workers are involved
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Suzie, FRG Adviser
- Posts: 4240
- Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm
Re: Social workers are involved
Dear a_anonymous
Welcome to the parents’ discussion board and thank you for your post. My name is Suzie and I am Family Rights Group’s online adviser. I am sorry to hear about the difficulties you and your family are having. I can see that you are worried about what may happen as children’s services have recently been in contact with you.
You explain that you and your husband recently argued. Following this, you contacted a friend and subsequently another friend reported to the police their concerns that you may be experiencing domestic abuse. The information shared included a video where you have an injured knee which you explain you suffered when you fell in the park. The police have spoken with you and you have stated that you are not being abused. Police involvement is ending. However, they have passed the details onto your local children’s services’ department. This is required practice where they have responded to a concern about domestic abuse and there is a child in the family. Children’s services and police both work to protect children but have different roles; the police investigate whether a crime has been committed and if they should pursue a criminal investigation while children’s services assess whether a child is in need or at risk of harm and put in support and services to promote their welfare and keep them safe.
A social worker has been in touch to discuss the referral with you, to ensure that you and your child are safe, to check with you if you need domestic abuse support and that you know how to get this support. You informed the social worker that there is no domestic abuse and so an assessment is not necessary; also that you know where to get support if you did need it.
The social worker is going to discuss your call with their manager and let you know what they propose. They will take on board your view of the situation and that you do not think that an assessment of your son’s needs is necessary. However, they will also consider the police information and any other relevant information they hold as well as their understanding of the dynamics of domestic abuse.
I can understand that it is worrying waiting to hear back from the social worker. They should let you know as soon as possible the outcome of their discussion with their manager If you have not heard back within a couple of days, I would recommend that you contact then directly to clarify.
Domestic abuse is taken very seriously because of the harm that it causes to children; please see here for an explanation of this and to help you understand why children’s services are offering an assessment. It might also help you think through whether it might be helpful for you and your family to have an assessment.
Both early help and child in need assessments are voluntary and therefore a parent can decline if they do not want to proceed with them. In this situation, unless children's services were concerned that a child was at risk of harm they could close the case.
However, Children’s Services can complete an assessment, without parental consent, if they are concerned that a child has suffered, or is suffering, significant harm. They would have a strategy meeting to decide whether they need to complete a section 47 investigation. So child protection enquiries can take place if children’s services suspect that a child may be at risk of harm, even if parents do not want this to happen.
Please see the links here which explain all of the above in more detail.
You are welcome to post a further query, once you have had a response from children’ services, or if you would prefer to talk to an adviser please call our freephone advice helpline on 0808 801 0366 (Mon to Fri, 9.30 am to 3.00 pm, except bank holidays) .
Best wishes
Suzie
Welcome to the parents’ discussion board and thank you for your post. My name is Suzie and I am Family Rights Group’s online adviser. I am sorry to hear about the difficulties you and your family are having. I can see that you are worried about what may happen as children’s services have recently been in contact with you.
You explain that you and your husband recently argued. Following this, you contacted a friend and subsequently another friend reported to the police their concerns that you may be experiencing domestic abuse. The information shared included a video where you have an injured knee which you explain you suffered when you fell in the park. The police have spoken with you and you have stated that you are not being abused. Police involvement is ending. However, they have passed the details onto your local children’s services’ department. This is required practice where they have responded to a concern about domestic abuse and there is a child in the family. Children’s services and police both work to protect children but have different roles; the police investigate whether a crime has been committed and if they should pursue a criminal investigation while children’s services assess whether a child is in need or at risk of harm and put in support and services to promote their welfare and keep them safe.
A social worker has been in touch to discuss the referral with you, to ensure that you and your child are safe, to check with you if you need domestic abuse support and that you know how to get this support. You informed the social worker that there is no domestic abuse and so an assessment is not necessary; also that you know where to get support if you did need it.
The social worker is going to discuss your call with their manager and let you know what they propose. They will take on board your view of the situation and that you do not think that an assessment of your son’s needs is necessary. However, they will also consider the police information and any other relevant information they hold as well as their understanding of the dynamics of domestic abuse.
I can understand that it is worrying waiting to hear back from the social worker. They should let you know as soon as possible the outcome of their discussion with their manager If you have not heard back within a couple of days, I would recommend that you contact then directly to clarify.
Domestic abuse is taken very seriously because of the harm that it causes to children; please see here for an explanation of this and to help you understand why children’s services are offering an assessment. It might also help you think through whether it might be helpful for you and your family to have an assessment.
Both early help and child in need assessments are voluntary and therefore a parent can decline if they do not want to proceed with them. In this situation, unless children's services were concerned that a child was at risk of harm they could close the case.
However, Children’s Services can complete an assessment, without parental consent, if they are concerned that a child has suffered, or is suffering, significant harm. They would have a strategy meeting to decide whether they need to complete a section 47 investigation. So child protection enquiries can take place if children’s services suspect that a child may be at risk of harm, even if parents do not want this to happen.
Please see the links here which explain all of the above in more detail.
You are welcome to post a further query, once you have had a response from children’ services, or if you would prefer to talk to an adviser please call our freephone advice helpline on 0808 801 0366 (Mon to Fri, 9.30 am to 3.00 pm, except bank holidays) .
Best wishes
Suzie
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