Dear Brokenheart3Brokenheart3 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 27, 2019 8:58 am I really need advice my friend of over ten years has 3 children under 5 I’ve been a big part of there life’s but over the last two year more with the younger two having them days on end I’ve been there on all the birth and derlivered the youngest my self the social workers was aware how much I had the two youngest due to being in the parents care they was put in foster care due to her life style around them ive had an assessment and got negative due to my friendship with the mother although my assessment is very positive in every thing I’ve told them I only see her to pick or drop kids off , social service got dates wrong saying one of the children was inhospital in April witch is important to our case as he was not in my care for 4 days yet on the paper work they got May witch he was with me most of may so they saying I’m sticking up for mother the judge has void the paper work and told social services to start again I’m waiting to see if I’m out the pool of suspect before I can speak my assessment it’s braking me as I’ve been a mother to this children I’ve never had police at my door and raised 3 children alone and no social workers me and there mum are total opposite
Welcome to the Family and Friends Carers’ discussion board and thank you for posting. My name is Suzie, FRG’s online adviser. I am sorry that we were not able to respond to your query before now and to hear of the difficulties you and your friend’s family are having.
From what you say I think that your friend’s children, with whom you have been very involved, are the subjects of care proceedings , due to concerns about the impact of their mother’s lifestyle on the children and an alleged non-accidental injury. You are possibly in the pool of potential perpetrators. You put yourself forward as a connected carer for the children but had a negative assessment which you disagree with. You think some of the information contained in children’s services reports is wrong and that you are being tarnished by your relationship with the children’s mother.
This is a very difficult situation. It will be important whether or not you are found to be in the pool of possible perpetrators. You have identified some errors in relation to dates which may be relevant. I cannot provide much advice on this but you could have a look at online information provided by Child Protection Resource .
Once you know the outcome of this your situation may become clearer.
In terms of your assessment, I think that may have been a viability assessment – we have an assessment guide here. These are the suggested options when you have had a negative assessment:
If the assessment is negative, then the council would not agree to continue with a full assessment of you. They should give you a letter that explains to you all of your options at that stage.
Those options are likely to include:
● Accepting the decision;
● Writing a letter that explains why you disagree, or whether you think things in the report are wrong. That letter can then be attached to the report so that anyone who reads it sees your side;
● Getting independent legal advice. You can ring Family Rights Group’s free independent specialist advice line on 0808 801 0366, (Monday to Friday 9.30am to 3pm). You may wish to seek advice from a lawyer on the Law Society : find a solicitor website (look for a lawyer with Children Panel accreditation), although this may not be free, and it will therefore be important for you to find out first what it would cost to get this advice;
● Going to a court hearing to ask the court to make a legal order that the child come to live with you if the child can’t be with their parents.
It may be that you would want to pursue more than one option, and if you disagree with the outcome of the assessment it is likely that you will want to explain that to the local authority, get independent legal advice, and perhaps also attend court.
I hope that this is helpful.
Please do not hesitate to post again if you need further information or advice.
With best wishes
Suzie