Dear User224
Welcome to the parents’ discussion forum and thank you for posting. My name is Suzie, online adviser, at Family Rights Group.
I am aware that you were sent a private message earlier this week, but I will now respond to your post as fully as possible.
It is clear from your post that you have been significantly affected by your current circumstances. You have been asked to leave the family home and you and your partner only recently had a baby son. This must be very hard for both of you as this is not how you had envisaged life with your baby starting.
You said in your post that you were arrested by the police at your place of work. The reason for your arrest is that the police received intelligence that you had indecent images of children (IIOC). I am not able to comment on the police action, but I think it would be normal procedure for them to follow up on any information of this nature and carry out a thorough investigation. The fact that your partner was pregnant at the time, the police made a referral to children’s services (the new name for social services) as safeguarding issue.
Once children’s services received the referral, they are required to follow procedure and then contact the family which it appears happened in your case. You state that the social worker was unprepared, and late for the first and other appointment. This is something you can bring to the attention of the social worker’s team manager. It maybe, however, that her lateness is due to work related issues.
Please read information from our website
https://frg.org.uk/get-help-and-advice/ ... -services/ about how children’s services work
Regarding the issue of the social worker making false statements, I think it might be helpful for you to know that if there are factual inaccuracies in the social worker’s report or statement you can ask for these to be corrected. However, if the social worker, in her professional capacity, expresses an opinion this would be based on her analysis of the information she has received, and it is her professional opinion, so she does not have to change this. Of course, if information is incorrect in the first place, then this is something you can discuss with the social worker or her manager.
I think it would be helpful to explain that the police and children’s services are looking at different things in this process. The police is investigating to establish if there is evidence that would lead to a successful prosecution. Children’s services are looking at safeguarding issues and ensuring that a child is safe. Both circumstances are dependent on different tests the criminal test is beyond reasonable doubt and the civil test is on the balance of probability that is, more likely to have happened than not.
At present, it appears that children’s services are taking the view that until their investigations are completed and, also the police investigation, they have asked that you leave the property whilst this is completed.
Do you have supervised contact with your son? I hope that you can see him and, if not, then you can ask the social worker to decide for you to do so. I understand how difficult it must be for you but it may be that the nature of the police investigation about photographs is the reason children’s services have said no photographs. However, I think you could suggest to the social worker that any photograph of your son would be normal one and why she objects. It may be best to put this in writing and ask for a written response.
As stated above, the police and children’s services are looking at different things, so even if the police decide that they are not pursuing the case further, this does not mean children’s services will no longer be involved. It is not clear from your post whether your son is on a child in need (CIN) or child protection plan (CPP). A child in need plan would offer support to the family this could be for example, a family support worker, supporting contact. A child protection plan could be made if a decision is made after investigations that an initial child protection conference should be held. The conference would decide if a plan should be in place. There is more information about this in the link above.
It also likely that children’s services will do a risk assessment of you to ascertain the level of risk before considering your return to the family home.
I can understand how difficult this must be for you and your partner. My advice is for you both to work as best you can with children’s services be honest and open about things and, if necessary, ask for help or support which would be helpful to the family.
You may find it helpful to speak with the
Lucy Faithfull Foundation on 0808 100 0900 as they can provide advice to you and your partner on the nature of the concerns which has led to the police and children’s services being involved with your family.
As you have mentioned the very severe impact this procedure is having on you, I think it might be helpful for you to speak with
MIND on 0300 123 3393 or Rethink on 0300 500 0927.
Also, if you believe it would help for you to have someone to support you at meetings with children’s services you are entitled to do so. You can have a trusted family member or friend or perhaps an advocate if you think it would be helpful.
I hope this information will give you a better understanding of the process you are involved in now. However, if you wish to speak to an adviser, please telephone our free advice line on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open from 9.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays).
Best wishes
Suzie
