Social Services not listening to me

[pollyanna]

My grandchildren are on child protection at the moment and could become subject of a 'public law outline' if my daughter doesn't start listening to what social services are telling her. She as been told that the youngest's father should not be in her home visiting because of the threat of domestic violence in front of the children again.
But she is totally ignoring social services and i have turned up unannounced twice this week and he as been sleeping at the property.
I give Social services the information and proof they need but they just don't seem to act on it, they seem to think i have some sort of conspiracy going to get my daughter in trouble. All i want is my 3 grandchildren to be safe that's all.
Apart from hiring a private detective to get them photo proof i don't see what more i can do. I just want those children safe and do not want to be burying my daughter because of the abuse.
Why can't she put those children first and why won't social services do something to protect those children before they become another statistic that social services have failed

[Robin D]

Hi Polyanna.

It's very frustrating when it seems as though no-one else shares your concerns.

You have several options:
1. Write to the Director of Children's services, setting out your concerns for the safety of your grandchildren. Make sure they understand that you are not on a campaign against your daughter, but that having reported it, if anything untoward should happen to the children, you will ensure that any serious case review gets a copy of your letter.
2. Start a formal complaint with the local authority. The difficulty here is that it reinforces their argument that you are on campaign.
3. Encourage any other adults who are aware of the situation to notify the NSPCC. They will refer it back to the LA, but often with an additional level of scrutiny as to the follow up action. Such notifications can be made anonymously if need be through the NSPCC web site.

You cannot force SS to take action. They are possibly monitoring the situation to see if mum makes any effort. Taking action is both costly and should never be taken lightly. The important thing is that your concerns should be in writing.

Equally, much as we would all like, you cannot make your daughter put the children first ... indeed no-one can. A significant number of mothers always put their own needs and wants above those of the children. Sad but true.

best wishes ..... Robin

[pollyanna]

Thank you Robin for your advice unfortunately we have exhausted all the avenues you suggested and we still don't seem to be any further forward.
I understand it costs to take action but surely a price can't be put on a childs safety.
Even strangers off my daughters street have reported that they are not happy with the safety of the children. My daughter as had her nose broken, her head smashed against a wall all by this man and from what I am told by social services he did the same with a previous partner and so can't see his son from that relationship either but they come under a different social services dept.
They keep telling me they need proof but they won't get it sat in an office. Yes I can understand them being cautious when family members ring but when members of the public ring surely it should be ringing some alarm bells

[David Roth]

Pollyanna, if you have exhausted the complaints procedures Robin describes, then you can consider how you might take your complaints further.

If you feel that council officers are failing to keep your grandchildren safe, then you can take the complaint to the people they are accountable to. This could be

- elected members (local councillors), such as the cabinet member responsible for children's services or the mayor;
- your local MP; or
- the Local Government Ombudsman.

Domestic violence is itself generally considered to be an indication that children are at risk, and I am surprised that social workers are not taking the violence your describe as being done against your daughter more seriously.

[David Roth]

Having said this, I do understand that the local authority may be trying to acquire the sort of evidence that would stand up in a court of law. You state that your daughter has been threatened with a Public Law Outline if she doesn't comply with requirements. The PLO is the step that local authorities take before issuing care proceedings - as part of which, incidentally, they are obliged to identify potential family and friends carers for the children, so I assume they would be checking with you whether you could take the children when they come to this stage. And if they don't, you need to be contacting them if you feel you could take the children.

[concernedgrandma]

Hi David
I have just read this stream and some of it rings bells in my sons case with my grandchildren. The last posting has given me a question.
My husband and i have said we would do the SGO and have filled in all the forms and done everything required by the childres services.
We or my son as they do not tell us anything have now been told they are not persueing the SGO as it would not be fair to the mother.
The mother has neglected them hence they are on the protection register.
So they are going to put them in care.
My question is can they do this if a member of the family has offered to take them.
PS there was nothing wrong with our application and we have not been informed why they are not persueing it.
We are all at our wits end and cannot believe that foster care is better than being with a family member.
Would love some advice as our 6 weeks is rapidly running out and we do not know what to do next.

[concernedgrandma]

Sorry New to this site, it's Suzie now isn't it.