Advice

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Scw91
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2021 6:45 am

Advice

Post by Scw91 » Tue Aug 31, 2021 2:16 pm

Hi, I have one 3 year old daughter she was removed from my care November 2020 due to mental health concerns ie me stating I was going to take my life . The proceedings were due to conclude in May of this year but have since been extended with final hearing dated for October 25th of this year. Initially when my daughter was taken I was very angry and was not addressing the issues the la had. However since March/April I have been very proactive with the changes I need to make. I have attended a parental course, courses around mental health and managing my mood, and have a couple other courses set to start in September one around parenting and one around mental health as a parent. I have a mental health Co ordinator that I now have been working well with for the last few months. The la have organised a family group conference to be held tomorrow. I had a meeting with the la couple of weeks ago, at that time they said there care plan at that time was number one priority adoption, number 2 my daughter returning to my care with family support, they said adoption can be a lower priority or not a priority at all if they believed the outcome of the fgc to be robust and realistically to enable a safe environment for my daughter on her return. I am still very hopeful and do believe my efforts are good enough as I have a clear understanding. At the start of my daughters removal I was drinking to cope with the pain, I have since stopped drinking and have had alcohol test that reflect this. I believe the social do truly want my daughter back with me but just want to ensure all there concerns are resolved and she is in a stable environment without me having crises in her presence and that my family were to step in if one was to occur. I am unsure of what the guardian standpoint is as we have not been in communication for several weeks. I pass onn my certificates for my courses to my solicitor and I inform the social worker of the changed I am making. My question really is in the court well they look at who I am now or will they still bring up historical issues as present issues. How do I get them to understand that I am a new person that I do not want my daughter to experience any upheaval based on my actions, that I understand what I need to work on and will continue to consistently do this, and finally should I contact the guardian to inform her of my changes or just leave it to the solicitor. I'm concerned regarding the guardian as they have labelled me a micromanager and think I do too much so I don't want to come across as overbearing but also want her to know I understand and don't want her final analysis not to have all the information of what I have done in the past few months. Hope to hear from you soon.

Scw91
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2021 6:45 am

Re: Advice

Post by Scw91 » Tue Aug 31, 2021 2:19 pm

My parenting assessment was done in March and her recommendations were for my daughter to be adopted in spite her saying I'm a good parent she just felt my mh would impact my daughter. Obviously months have passed since then and I have worked on the issues. My solicitor advised to respond to her points with what I have done to change for the better

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

Re: Advice

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Wed Sep 08, 2021 12:19 pm

Dear Scw91

Welcome to the Board and thank you for you two posts.

Thank you for sharing your situation with us, I apologise for the delay in responding.

The court will look at who you are now and consider who you were in the past too. Decisions about a child’s future are made according to the welfare principle. You can see from these guidelines that there is a checklist that the court must consider.

Your child’s guardian is able to tell the court what they think will be best for her. Perhaps before you approach them you should have a conversation with your solicitor. The changes you have made since last November will be documented and you have ‘evidence’ that you have maintained the changes and that you have, and engage with, support for your mental health. Additionally, you and your family have had a family group conference and as you say can show that you are supported or that they will step in (if needed). These seem to be positives, and I suggest you speak with solicitor (again). S/he (they) should advise you the best way to present ‘your positives’ to all professionals involved in your case.

For more information about care proceedings, have a look at our website, here. Or if you would like to speak to an adviser on our confidential advice line do call us Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 3.00pm on 0808 801 0366.

Best wishes

Suzie

Scw91
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Aug 28, 2021 6:45 am

Re: Advice

Post by Scw91 » Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:37 pm

Whenever I talk to the solicitor all he talks about is the final statement and says my case isn't a big deal. I ask for advice all the time and don't get it

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

Re: Advice

Post by Suzie, FRG Adviser » Thu Sep 23, 2021 12:20 pm

Dear Scw91

Thank you for your update. I hope you found our previous responses helpful.

Your case is important, and you should not be made to feel that it is not.

It is important that you and your solicitor concentrate on the final statement and address each point of concern raised by the parenting assessment – stating what you have changed, how you have change it and how you hope to maintain the changes over time to meet your child’s needs now and into the future. This should also include what support you are likely to need in the short, medium and long term. We have some useful advice on preparing for the final hearing on our website and details about what taking part involves. We also have a guide to working with your solicitor which you may find useful. It provides guidance and ‘top tips’ for how to work productively with your legal adviser and how to make a complaint if you are not happy with the service you are receiving.

I hope this information has been helpful for you.

Best wishes

Suzie

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