Child asked to go home

[Nannygems]

Hi

Further to our fight to get my grandchildren back home with the parents, the following has come to light since they were taken 2 years ago.
My daughter has engaged a new solicitor to fight for "Discharge of the care order ".
2 eldest and parents all deaf from birth obviously we knew that anyway.
But the following confirmed during and since proceedings.
Child 1 diagnosed Paranoid Schizophrenic, also Wardenburghs Syndrome.
Child 2 diagnosed Autistic, waiting for sw to have him assessed for Wardenburghs.
Child 3 waiting for sw to get assessed for Wardenburghs.
Chilet 4 waiting for sw to get assessments for Wardenburghs.
Father confirmed Wardenburghs Syndrome W1 & 2
awaiting assessments for Autism which his questionnaire scored 36, now being referred.

With all these new diagnosis and evidence it was not just "bad parenting "

The youngest now has voiced at contact, which was in contact report ,that he wants to go home, he is 6. He also voiced this at contact with his siblings.
We have had information that he can ask to go back to court to ask to be returned home. It says he has to have an Advocate to speak on his behalf.

Can you advise please how we go about this. We know the SW will be biased and we should have someone totally independent from LA.

We have struggled to get an Advocate for the parents within deaf community.
How would we go about getting him an Advocate if we have to seek permission from sw and LA??

[Nannygems]

Have not received a reply from you over my last post.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Nannygems,

I am sorry for the delay in responding to your post.

I can see that the parents have engaged a solicitor to fight for the care orders to be discharged.
To be successful in this application the parents would need to show with evidence that there has been a change of circumstances since the care order was made and that it is in the best interests of the children for the care order to be discharged. Please look back at
my post which discusses this and links off to our advice sheet about children being reunited with their parents.

Your question is about your youngest grandchild getting an advocate and making a court application himself to come home.

Yes you are right, both parents and children can apply to court to discharge care orders.

But as the parents are going back to court to discharge the care order, there is no point in the children, at this time, making a separate court application.

During the discharge of care order proceedings, the children will be allocated a CAFCASS guardian and a solicitor to represent them.
The children’s guardian and solicitor’s role is to act in the “best interests” of the children and this will involve finding out their views about contact and returning home. Your 6 year old grandson’s views would be considered during the parent’s court application.

The welfare checklist is used by courts to decide what is in the “best interests” of children. As you can see, there is a requirement to find out the wishes and feelings of the children. They will also factor in the child’s age and understanding.

To find out more about advocates for children in care, you could get in touch with Coram Voice who represent children in care and see what they say. They provide advocates to children in care.

Or contact the charity Become who advise children in care on their helpline 0800 023 2033.

I hope I have gone some way to answering your questions. But if you need more advice, please do post again.

Best wishes,
Suzie