Need urgent advice

[Robin D]

Fairly typical.

If you are allowed to attend panel, please go. Else write out a short statement explaining that you only agreed with the judge to wait on the understanding that panel would be after the next hearing and send it to CS insisting its submitted to panel.

Good luck ... Robin

[DB182]

Hi robin yeh I'm allowed to attend it's going to be by video. I'm fumming I was told they couldn't get us to panel until the 7th because our dbs wasnt ready or the assessments wasnt finished so the court said ok well you have 6 weeks in that time we want a upto date viability assessment and dbs done. And mentioned the regulation 24....so today I contacted them to ask when our next assessment was going to happen because he rang monday then said I'll be in touch in the week to tell you when I need to speak to you again. Only for him to say oh your at panel on Thursday. But we wont be recommending you well why go to panel. I said what are they going to be asking he said oh things like what have you taken from this experience good or bad well what do I say to that....do I understand why where not being recommended....well yeh because they haven't done their job properly lol...

[DB182]

I wouldn't of even know today if I'd not contacted him..am I right to have asked to see my report before panel.

[DB182]

Hi robin have you got any advice regarding panel on Thursday apparently it's not a full assessment I think he said where going to panel with a upto date viability assessment based on where we are at today. So in june I asked to be taken out of the pool based on the upto date medical evidence but I was asked to wait because they was waiting on blood test etc....we was told they couldn't get us to panel until August and seeing the judge set us a date for next week I agreed. Now because they have got us to panel Thursday it means I'm still in the pool and going to panel with a negative recommendation. I've emailed fostering saying I'm not happy about going to panel sooner than they originally stated that I think I'm not getting a fair hearing and how is that in the babys best interest. I recieved a reply back just saying the courts give us deadlines to work to and we can only go to panel with what we have in front of us. I said I just feel like it's been rushed through at last minute and by going to panel earlier than stated I'm going to have to appeal it. Just thought I'd get that in so he knows I will be appealing. He said where not saying to cant have gs in the future just not yet until your 100% cleared. So it looks like I'll have wait until December until the fact finding hearing is due to take place.

[Robin D]

Sorry very quick response as we have a funeral this morning. However I think you just bring the whole thing up at the August hearing and tell the judge that you feel that the SS 'process' is adversely affecting the child.

[DB182]

So sorry to hear that robin. And thank you for the advice.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear DB182

Thank you for your further posts which, I see, Robin has given you helpful responses.

From reading back over your posts I see that you had a positive viability assessment and children’s services were to complete a full assessment of you and your partner. However, for various reasons, the assessment has not been completed and the Judge directed for an updated viability and DBS checks should be completed and a hearing date fixed to consider these. It was your understanding that you would not be taken to panel until August but you were told last Friday that you are due to to go to panel on 24th July, you received this information only because you made contact with the social worker doing the assessment to check the updated position. You were both surprised and shocked to be told this as you had no expectation to be going to panel at this stage.

You said that the judge had suggested you wait until the end of July, I suppose so that the updated information could be considered together with any other evidence due to be filed with the court. My understanding from your post is that the judge was fully aware that a full assessment would not be completed by the hearing. In your post you also referred to the Guardian being of the view that you should no longer be in the pool of perpetrator in respect of the injury to your grandson, in light of the dating of the injury. This has not happened, perhaps because it is a decision for the judge to make. The fact finding hearing to decide about who caused the injury? If the judge decide you should no longer be in the pool of perpetrators before the December hearing then the assessment could be completed.

I think it would be reasonable for you to say at panel that you have concerns about it has come about and that you do not think a negative recommendation should be taken at this time since no findings have been made against you by the court. Also, if the full assessment has not been completed it seem unreasonable to reach a decision without the assessment being properly completed. Since you have been told you are not being ruled out completely but only because of the fact that you are not cleared why go to panel now? The panel it appears is going to be considering the updated viability assessment which was directed by the court, is that the case.

In response to what you ask regarding the panel, it seems that you can say what you think the situation is, how things could be done differently on your part, what you now understand about the process and the concerns that children’s services have about your grandson. I think it will be important for you to show that you fully understand what the expectations are if your grandson is in your care and how you would ensure he is safe and secure in your care.

In addition, you can make the judge aware of your concerns about how the assessment has been carried out and why you believe it has not being done in a fair way. You should also stress why you believe your grandson’s best interests would be served by being in your care.

Unfortunately, whilst you remain in the pool of perpetrators, it will not be possible for you to have a recommendation that your grandson can be placed with you. Hopefully, the judge will decide even before the fact finding hearing that you no longer need to be in it. However, that will depend on whether there is conflicting evidence about the dating of the injury.

I hope you find this helpful but should you wish to speak to an adviser, do telephone our advice line on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open from 9.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday.

Best wishes

Suzie

[DB182]

Thank you suzie for that I've taken notes..yes apparently they are only going to panel with the updated viability assessment. Even grandson sw said other day I dont understand why your going to panel wouldn't it been easier if they would of waited until after the 28th. She said shes no problem with grandson coming here. And says the same it's clear from reading the reports in front of me your not in the pool.

[DB182]

Quick update. Wasnt even given a chance to speak today...the lady who was the main speaker just said we have had a discussion and basically because you haven't been took of the pool just yet its negative based on that....how ever just wait for the letter to come out then appeal it.

[DB182]

Hi all thought I'd update on todays hearing. Well we have been cleared from the pool of perpetrators happy tears all around. Now on with our assessment they have got until the the 4th of September to do and file our assessment I told the judge they took me to panel with a negative assessment so he said oh well that's easy enough now because as soon as that letter comes I can appeal it....so back in court beginning of September for the interim placement.... thank you Robin and suzie for the great advice upto now I really dont think i could of gotten this far without you.