Can you challenge a negative parental assessment?

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DifficultCase
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Joined: Thu May 27, 2021 11:32 pm

Can you challenge a negative parental assessment?

Post by DifficultCase » Tue Jun 15, 2021 5:54 pm

Can you challenge a negative parental assessment?

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

Re: Can you challenge a negative parental assessment?

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Fri Jul 02, 2021 11:58 am

Dear Difficult case,

Yes, you can challenge a negative assessment. You do not say what context the assessment was made. Some assessments will have a specific process that needs to be used. You can ask the social worker how you can challenge the decision.
Otherwise, the best way to challenge would be via the children services complaints process. Here are our pages about complaints .

I hope this advice helps but if you need further advice, please post again.
Best wishes,
Suzie

Smilingsnakes
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Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2020 1:51 pm

Re: Can you challenge a negative parental assessment?

Post by Smilingsnakes » Mon Aug 23, 2021 8:11 pm

Yes you can and you should if incorrect information has been documented about you or your family.
Having taken on Social Care my advice would be keep very careful records of all interactions. Follow up all verbal phone calls/ meetings with an email...Just to confirm that we met earlier today and you told me xxxx and that I should yyyy.
I also reassured you that zzzz. You were content with my response and provided no further instruction or guidance.

Peaches79
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Joined: Sat Jun 12, 2021 12:51 am

Re: Can you challenge a negative parental assessment?

Post by Peaches79 » Sat Aug 28, 2021 6:21 pm

Hi please can i ask if this is the correct information that you are not allowed to read what has been written about you till after its been sent to your solicitor i find this totally unfair.

Smilingsnakes
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Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2020 1:51 pm

Re: Can you challenge a negative parental assessment?

Post by Smilingsnakes » Sat Aug 28, 2021 8:27 pm

I had a S7 and the process to challenge the content took 10 months in the meantime totally false information was used to influence contact , court, police etc.
I have an apology now , 10 months too late...the damage is done.
Do not trust SS . If you can have a solicitor present always. Or a trusted friend. Keep very detailed records. E.g. They visit you, when they leave email them immediately and state your understanding of the conversation...you raised concern that I have a kangaroo in my bedroom....I have never owned a kangaroo so am confused by this challenge and would like it to be resolved before we meet again! I would also like to confirm that you have not recorded that I have a kangaroo in my room anywhere on my file.

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Suzie, FRG Adviser
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Re: Can you challenge a negative parental assessment?

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Fri Sep 03, 2021 12:28 pm

Dear Smilingsnakes

Thank you for your posts.

From what you have written you may have been involved in private law proceedings; our service does not give specific advice in that area.

However, social workers are involved in both private (a Cafcass worker will write a S7 report ) and public law processes.

With regard to complaining, here is some information from our website about complaints and some information about access to records held by children’s services.

Best wishes

Suzie

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Suzie, FRG Adviser
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Re: Can you challenge a negative parental assessment?

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Tue Sep 07, 2021 12:52 pm

Peaches79 wrote: Sat Aug 28, 2021 6:21 pm Hi please can i ask if this is the correct information that you are not allowed to read what has been written about you till after its been sent to your solicitor i find this totally unfair.
Dear Peaches79

Thank you for your question.

The agency (in this case children’s services) who wrote assessment should be able to tell you about the means by which, it would be made available to you once it had been written.

If you were advised that once the information has been gathered it would be sent to your solicitor, you could ask the agency why this was the case and for their policies relating to this, alternatively you could ask you solicitor if that was the ‘correct procedure’ for sharing the information with you.

The Information Commissioner’s Office has some information about complaining about ‘public bodies’, but in the first instance a conversation with your solicitor might be more informative.

Best wishes

Suzie

Papillon
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Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2021 11:31 pm

Totally False Information destroying family relationships and lives.

Post by Papillon » Tue Oct 26, 2021 1:46 pm

quote=Smilingsnakes post_id=11678 time=1630178841 user_id=12291]
I had a S7 and the process to challenge the content took 10 months in the meantime totally false information was used to influence contact , court, police etc.
I have an apology now , 10 months too late...the damage is done.
Do not trust SS . If you can have a solicitor present always. Or a trusted friend. Keep very detailed records. E.g. They visit you, when they leave email them immediately and state your understanding of the conversation...you raised concern that I have a kangaroo in my bedroom....I have never owned a kangaroo so am confused by this challenge and would like it to be resolved before we meet again! I would also like to confirm that you have not recorded that I have a kangaroo in my room anywhere on my file.
[/quote]

Papillon
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Oct 23, 2021 11:31 pm

Re: Totally false information ruining family lives and mental health forever.

Post by Papillon » Tue Oct 26, 2021 1:58 pm

I have witnessed social services (X) using totally false information and ignoring all professional evidence strongly negating this (not presented in court either) to destroy a very good mother and son relationship. There are some very toxic social services who are a danger to good living people and courts not recognising it (which is widely known). I know of one in a part of the XXXXX, formerly XXXXX. I'm not sure whether to name them?
Last edited by Suzie, FRG Adviser on Fri Nov 05, 2021 10:21 am, edited 3 times in total.
Reason: Moderated to protect confidentiality

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Suzie, FRG Adviser
Posts: 4207
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm

Re: Can you challenge a negative parental assessment?

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Fri Nov 05, 2021 2:45 pm

Dear Papillon

Welcome to the parents’ discussion board and thank you for your post. My name is Suzie and I am FRG’s online adviser. I am sorry that I was not able to respond to your post sooner.

I am sorry to hear that you have had an extremely negative experience of working with children’s services and the family court. You have successfully challenged some of the information used in these processes and have received an apology.

Here is some information about how children’s services work.

You offer some practical advice from your own experience of keeping records and clarifying information when working with social workers. We also have some tips for working with social workers here that other parents may find helpful as well as information on how to challenge decisions or make a complaint where necessary.

It is important to be aware that family cases are private and there are rules about what information can be published about court cases. So it is best not to post any identifying details. In the same way, we ask parents not to post information that can identify themselves or others including local authorities. If you would like to raise a concern about a specific children’s services then there are some other options such as contacting your local MP or councillor. Here is some advice on further ways to complain.

We offer advice on individual situations so if you have a specific query about your involvement with children’s services you are welcome to post again or you can ring to speak with an adviser on 0808 801 0366, Mon to Fri, 9.30 am to 3.00 pm.

With best wishes

Suzie

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