Don't know what's going to happen

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Suzie, FRG Adviser
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Re: Don't know what's going to happen

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Mon Apr 04, 2022 5:01 pm

Dear penguin87

Thank you for your post and for keeping us updated regarding your situation. I am sorry to hear of your distress and the impact this is having on your mental health. Please do call our advice line if you would like to speak to someone in person. Sometimes it can be helpful to speak to someone directly to alleviate stress, even if it is only for a brief period. You may also find it beneficial to speak to your G.P. to seek support for your emotional wellbeing if you haven’t done so already.

Thank you for clarifying the situation regarding the support offered. It would be a good idea to raise this with (IRO)Independent Reviewing Officer . Whilst your eldest daughter is no longer in your care, you will be seeing her during contact sessions and it will be important for her and for you that you feel confident in your approach. As suggested by your friend you who is an IRO you may wish to make a complaint if you are not satisfied. Please see the link HERE for further information and guidance.

In respect of the Supervision Order. Most local authorities hold regular meetings 8 -12 weeks before the Supervision Order expires and consideration should be given as to whether the Supervision Order needs to be extended. If it is determined that the Supervision Order is no longer required, it will effectively be discharged once the duration of the order has lapsed. I have added a link HERE which has further information and guidance.

I hope you find this information useful.  Should you wish to speak to an adviser please call our free advice line: 0808 801 0366 (Mon to Fri 9.30a.m. – 3.00p.m excluding bank holidays.) You can of course also post again on here.
Best wishes, Suzie.

Penguin87
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Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2021 11:17 pm

Re: Don't know what's going to happen

Post by Penguin87 » Thu May 05, 2022 6:13 pm

So as it stands My babies Supervision plan runs out this weekend.
With not hearing anything about it from SS i decided to call my solicitor and ask him what the plan going forward was.He explained that SS have not applied to extend the Supervision order as he has not received anything in respect of it so does that mean her child in Need plan will be discharged aswell?
As theyve discharged any help they are willing to offer and my oldest is going into full time foster care.
Nothing has really changed in regards to my oldest shes still in temp foster waiting for a full time
School is still a problem but im not recieving any feedback on whats happening with my daughter when it comes to how she is or school life.

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

Re: Don't know what's going to happen

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Mon May 09, 2022 2:37 pm

Dear Penguin87,

Thank you for your further post and update.

You say that the supervision order expired this weekend and you would like to know whether this means that the child in need plan will also be ended.

The supervision order and child in need plan are separate and so the expiration of the supervision order does not necessarily mean that the child in need plan will be ended. However a child in need plan is voluntary and parents do not have to accept the support offered under a child in need plan. You can find more information about this on our website here. This means that if you wish the child in need plan to be ended then you will need to let the social worker know. I would recommend that you put this in writing via email to the social worker and their manager. If children’s services are not worried about your child’s welfare then they may close the case.

You say that you are not receiving any information about how your daughter is doing and how she is getting on at school. Although she is in foster care you still retain parental responsibility and as such you should be kept updated and involved. You should be invited to regular looked after child review meetings where this information should be discussed. If you are not being invited then I would suggest that you contact the independent reviewing officer to request that you are invited. You can find more information about what to do in this situation on our website here.

I hope that this is of some help,

Best wishes,
Suzie

Penguin87
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2021 11:17 pm

Re: Don't know what's going to happen

Post by Penguin87 » Mon May 09, 2022 9:41 pm

So i spoke to my solicitor and he said normally a child in need doesnt stay open for lomg after they dont want to reapply for a supervision order as it slowly tails off.
My health visitor has no concerns.
However my SS still thinks i have boundrie issues because my toddler played the curtain when she was here.I dont think that is sufficient evidence to keep a child in need plan open.
Would i be best to not discharge incase i rock the boat? I dont want her on a child protection again i worked hard to get her off it and if they havent reapplied for a supervision order so i must be doing something right?

So i still see my child and do LAC meetings every 6 weeks but my daughter was assaulted at school and the school didnt contact me and i always try to be on friendly terms with her foster carers so i can stay within a loop instead of finding things out every 6 weeks.its not really much to ask.

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Suzie, FRG Adviser
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Re: Don't know what's going to happen

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Mon May 16, 2022 11:36 am

Dear Penguin87,

Thank you for your further post.

I can see that you are anxious that if you ask children’s services to end the child in need plan then they may escalate again to the child protection process. If there are no concerns that your child is at risk of significant harm then children’s services should not do so. It may be a good idea to discuss your thoughts with the social worker and their manager so that you are clearer about their views on this. Ultimately though, children’s services cannot escalate to the child protection process unless they have concerns that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer significant harm.

I am very sorry to hear that your daughter was assaulted at school and understand that you would have expected to be informed of this soon after it happened. I would suggest that you email the social worker (copying in the manager and the independent reviewing officer) to explain that you would like to be informed more urgently of things like this in future. If you feel that you continue to be excluded then you may wish to address this further with the independent reviewing officer, or consider putting in a formal complaint.

I hope that this is of some help.

Best wishes,
Suzie

Penguin87
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2021 11:17 pm

Re: Don't know what's going to happen

Post by Penguin87 » Thu Jan 19, 2023 7:18 pm

So.As a follow up since my last post.
My Oldest DD is in her 8th foster home/respite as the Foster carers have decided they cant deal with her behaviour and dont want her anymore.She has a new foster carer social worker who she should of had from Oct 2021 they cant tell me why it never happened. BUT the new SW has come to my home and asked if i would like to bring my DD home again as they cant understand why shes still in foster care?

The questions i have because the system has broken me before.Is my youngest daughter safe from social if my oldest came back she was signed off social services in May they wouldnt try to take her away?
What support is my oldest DD going to get?
How will this time be any better?
Ive already asked the SW these quesions and shes answered them as truthful as she can i think but even im still apprehensive as ive been burned before by this system.

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Suzie, FRG Adviser
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Re: Don't know what's going to happen

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Fri Jan 20, 2023 4:12 pm

Dear Penguin98,

Thank you for your post.

You say your eldest daughter, who is subject to a care order, is in her 8th foster home and that this placement is due to end. You have been asked by your daughter's social worker if she would like to return home. You would like to know whether your youngest daughter would be 'safe' from children's services if your eldest was to return and what support will be offered. You have spoken to the social worker but feel apprehensive.

Firstly, it is important to say that your daughter is a looked after child. When there are plans for a looked after child to return to the care of their parent, whether under a care order or not, there are regulations and statutory guidance that should be followed. I will refer to this in answering your question.

The plan for your daughter up until this point has been for her to be in long-term foster care. If there is a change to this care plan, there should be a looked after child review to discuss this - whether this be to review a change in placement to another foster home, a return to you under a care order, or plans to discharge the care order. The guidance is clear that where the plan is for a child to return to the care of their family when they cease to be looked-after, there should be a robust planning and decision making process to ensure that this decision is in the best interests of the child and will safeguard
and promote their welfare [regulation 39].

Before placing your daughter with you under a care order, the local authority must assess your parenting capacity. Following the assessment of the parent’s capacity to meet the child’s needs, the responsible authority must identify and set out in the child’s care plan the services and other support which will be provided to the parent and child to meet the
identified needs [regulation 20].

The 2010 Regulations require a decision to place the child back with a parent to be approved by a nominated officer of the responsible authority before it is put into 67 effect [regulation 18]. Before granting this approval the nominated officer must
be satisfied that:
• that the child’s wishes and feelings have been ascertained;
• the assessment as to the suitability of the parent has been carried out [regulation 17];
• the placement will safeguard and promote the child’s welfare; and
• the IRO has been consulted.

Over time, if a looked after child's placement with a parent goes well, the local authority may apply to the courts to discharge the order.

In some cases, such as your daughter's, the local authority may want to place a child with their parents' immediately. You can find the regulations that must be followed in this situation on page 65 of the statutory guidance.

It is understandable that you may both look forward to the prospect of your daughter returning home, and apprehensive about the kind of support that may be offered. I would advise that your write to the social worker and the team manager, with the following points:
- who has made the decision for your daughter to return home and is a return home now part of her care and permanency plans?
- That you would like a formal assessment of your parenting capacity and support needs to take place as per the regulations and that you would like to be clear on what support the local authority is willing to offer in order to support the move before you feel able to commit to this.
- That an urgent looked after care review be held to discuss this possible change in placement, to gather the views of all involved and to establish that it would be in your daughter's best interests, including the other possible placement options.

In relation to your youngest daughter, it is likely that she would be considered in any assessment that covers whether your eldest should move home. Given that the local authority is considering you to care for your eldest, this would imply they think you are able to provide your youngest with a safe home.

I hope you have found this helpful.

Best wishes,

Suzie.

Penguin87
Posts: 10
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2021 11:17 pm

Re: Don't know what's going to happen

Post by Penguin87 » Mon Apr 24, 2023 10:17 pm

I didnt just want to leave this thread without any outcome if people do read this.
My Daughter is back home and has been for several weeks.We live in a new area,in a new house and with a new social worker who listens to all.I feel supported aswell as my daughter.The new SW has done another parent assessment and is willing to go to court to discharge her care order once school is sorted as my daughter really struggles with school
Ive has positive feedback from the SW and the IRO on bringing her back home after the last time.

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

Re: Don't know what's going to happen

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Fri Apr 28, 2023 10:55 am

Dear Penguin87

Thank you for the update. It is kind and thoughtful of you to do so. I know it will give hope to other parents who are separated from their children. We wish you and your daughter well and all the best for the future.

Suzie

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