IIOC found on ex partners device

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EDY92
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat May 23, 2020 2:24 am

IIOC found on ex partners device

Post by EDY92 » Sat Mar 13, 2021 3:07 pm

12 months ago now, my partner at the time was arrested on suspicion on IIOC

I left him, have done everything social workers have told me to (left him, don’t speak to him unless it’s arranging contact) despite this, they are constantly telling me to not let him have contact, try to scare me saying my children can end up on a child protection register even though it’s supervised when he sees them.

Anyways, the police have found 15 images , all cat C.

No body bothered telling me this. I found out from my ex partner himself, then I got a phone call from social services days later telling me I wasn’t allowed to let him see the children even though it has been supervised by a family member.

A strategy meeting was held and it was said that my children are now in significant danger , how exactly?! The whole point of his contact being supervised is to make him seeing the children safe?!

I’m allowing him to have SUPERVISED contact, something he would get even when he’ll be convicted (I sought legal advise) the social worker I have approved the person supervising and funnily enough used to a foster carer so knows a lot about signs of abuse, what to look out for etc!

So now I’ve been told if I stopped contact, my life would basically be easier as I’d not have their involvement and my case would be closed.

I am a teacher , so my children going on the child protection plan would mean I’d be suspended from work.

How is this even allowed?

Sadly, I can’t change the fact my children’s father has done this, but I don’t see why I’m being punished for wanting my children to have supervised contact with their dad?

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Suzie, FRG Adviser
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Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm

Re: IIOC found on ex partners device

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Tue Mar 23, 2021 3:03 pm

Dear EDY92,

Welcome to the parents' board and thank you for your post.

You say in your post that 12 months ago, your partner at the time was arrested on suspicion of IIOC. You are no longer with him and are not in contact unless it is to arrange contact with your children. There is involvement from children's services, who are telling you to not allow contact, and that if it continues, your children may become subject to a child protection plan. You have recently found out that your ex-partner was in possession of Cat C images, and children's services have now stated that the children should have no contact with him. They believe your children to be at risk and have convened a strategy meeting. You do not agree with this as you say that contact is supervised by a family member. You feel that you are being punished for allowing your children to have supervised contact and worry that this may also impact on your job as a teacher.

Children's services are concerned about your children having supervised contact with their father given the nature of the offence he has allegedly committed. They believe your children are suffering or are at risk of suffering significant harm, and have therefor initiated child protection enquiries. It is likely that a child protection conference will now be held, chaired by an independent chair, and a decision will be made as to whether they should be subject to a child protection plan. For more information on the child protection process, take a look at our advice sheet here.

Whilst children's services cannot legally stop the children from having supervised contact with their father without an order, it is clear that they have concerns about this happening, even in the presence of other family members. The first step would be to ask the social worker what the specific concerns are, and why they think the children are still at risk during supervised contact. Has your partner been risk-assessed by children's services? Children's services have a duty to safeguard your children, and if they believe you are not acting in a sufficiently protective way and that the children are being placed at risk, they may apply to the courts for an order, which may result in them being removed from your care. It is therefore important that you work together with them to understand their worries and what you can do to address these.

With regards to your role as a teacher, the social worker will refer you to the local authority designated officer (LADO), as is the case when any adult who works with children is involved in child protection procedures. The LADO will provide guidance and advice to your employer.

You can ask the social worker for more information on your local authority's LADO procedures.

I hope you have found this helpful.

Best wishes,

Suzie

EDY92
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat May 23, 2020 2:24 am

Re: IIOC found on ex partners device

Post by EDY92 » Tue Mar 23, 2021 8:16 pm

I have done e they’ve said, this is why I’m so annoyed.

They approved the family member to do the contact, and I stuck to the plan of them always being present and arranging the contact through them so I 100% knew they’d be there and I made sure when I dropped the children off that family member came and got them at the door etc.

I just can’t understand why I’m being told I’m a risk to my children when they approved this person! I’ve never put them at risk, they have only seen their dad with the family member they approved supervising. They already treated him like he was guilty, so I see no difference in the fact they’ve actually found what they have..

My children obviously haven’t seen their dad because I’ve been told he can’t have contact, but how can they say he’s not longer allowed supervised contact?

I have informed my head of what’s going on and he said he will back me up if needs be, I have always acted professionally, but I will be suspended even though I’ve done nothing wrong. So now I’ve got the worry of that on top .

I don’t see why I’d want to be put through the stress of court, when he will be allowed supervised access anyways! It’s just so backwards to me.

What exactly are they going to say my children are at risk of? Because they approved this family member to do the supervising.. so surely that’s beyond my control 😂 so if that’s the case, they’ve put my child in danger, not me? By approving them

I

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Suzie, FRG Adviser
Posts: 4210
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm

Re: IIOC found on ex partners device

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Thu Apr 01, 2021 12:45 pm

Dear EDY92,

You say in your post that a family member had already been approved by children's services to supervise contact between your children and their father, and you are now confused as to why this is not being seen as sufficiently protective. I wonder if children's services are now more concerned since the Cat C images were found on your ex-partner's computer, and that this is why they view any contact as not being in the children's best interests. As I mentioned in my last post, it is advisable that you ask children's services for the specific reasons they are now concerned about any contact. If you strongly believe that your children should continue to have contact with their father and that this is not detrimental to their welfare in any way, you may also want to reference the initial safety plan and highlight how this addresses any risks, or how it may amended in order to do so.

You mentioned that a strategy meeting had taken place, which means that the social worker should be completing S. 47 enquiries. You should be given a copy of this assessment prior to any initial child protection conference- have you been told that one is to take place? If so, the conference will be an opportunity for you to express your views and to discuss future safety planning. If the professionals involved in your children's lives feel that all contact should be stopped, they will provide reasons - again, they may not have a legal right to enforce this, but they will expect you to act in the capacity of a protective parent, and if they feel that the children are at risk, they may seek legal advice. If your children are placed on a child protection plan, anything included on that plan will be overseen by the independent Chair. Take a look at our page on child protection.

I hope you have found this helpful.

Best wishes,

Suzie.

ConsUK
Posts: 17
Joined: Sat Jul 13, 2019 11:20 am

Re: IIOC found on ex partners device

Post by ConsUK » Thu Jun 03, 2021 10:14 am

Let's tell you a joke, the"independent chair" is friend with the social worker.

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Suzie, FRG Adviser
Posts: 4210
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm

Re: IIOC found on ex partners device

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Fri Jun 04, 2021 12:29 pm

Dear ConsUK,

The independent chair should be acting in a professional and objective capacity, guided by the safety and welfare of your children. If you have concerns that this has not happened, you can discuss this with the chair, the chair's manager, or consider making a formal complaint.

Best wishes,

Suzie.

CFJ222
Posts: 9
Joined: Mon Jul 27, 2020 8:21 pm

Re: IIOC found on ex partners device

Post by CFJ222 » Fri Jun 04, 2021 7:19 pm

i have to say about the "independent chair" i have had several IRO's, each one seems to just agree with the SW no matter what.

Despite clear evidence evidence that the LA plans are not consistent with the care plan. The IRO makes excuses for the LA rather than scrutnising. I should not even have to point this out. They should just be independent and see this themselves. They always say i should speak with the SW which i do and get me no where.

The pattern repeated through all the IRO's so it isnt just the odd one. I had one who did start to challenge the LA but after a change in SW then stopped asking questions. Now im on to a new IRO and things are not changing.

I have made a complaint in 2019 and still havent recieved my responce. I have no faith in the complaint procedure either.

Regards to the "independent chair" thought this seem to mimic what i say and the the other above
https://www.theguardian.com/social-care ... ndependent

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