Advise please.

[unhappygrandmaT666]

Hi,

Can you tell me if family members are allowed to read letters from social services, marked Private and confidential? We are not sure if we can or allowed to read them, we have not read the documents, but my son needs help and we can't help him without reading the documents.
Thank you.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear unhappygrandmaT666

Thank you for your post and welcome to the family and friends carers discussion forum.

I am sorry that have not received a response to your post before now.

Regarding your concern about being able to support your son in his case, I think it would be alright for you to assist your son. Children’s cases are private and as such information which can identify children should not be shared with others.

You should not open your son’s letters but if he asks for help with reading or understanding then provided it is only for that reason and, with his permission, to assist him you can. It would be the same if he was asking someone else to advise him or support him. The information cannot be shared with others or made public in any way.

If your son has specific needs for an advocate to support him with children's services then he can ask for one. Children's services should make reasonable adjustments where a person needs it to work well with them.

I hope this helps. If you wish to speak to an adviser please telephone our advice line on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open from 9.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday.

Best wishes

Suzie