Family Rights Group | Kinship carers’ Forum

I need advice please.

My newborn grandson has gone into a foster placement. We had a family network meeting while he was in hospital and then myself and my daughter had assessments. Mine came back negative because I work full time which I am going to appeal. I am battling to get any feedback or contact from Children's services. The assessment was carried out on 4.8.20, I still haven't received a copy and neither has my daughter. I have sent emails and left messages and had one phone call form the social worker last Friday to say that my assessment was negative and that he couldtn't give me any feedback over the phone and said he is sending the assessment to my email, no copy yet. I am so frustrated as this has been in court twice over the phone obviously and now it has been adjourned until January. I have not met my grandson and my son and his partner are doing everything they can to try to get into a foster placement with him which would be good but the time is ticking away. What can I do? If anyone can help

Dear magic30

Welcome to Family Rights Group’s (FRG) family and friends carers discussion board and thank you for your post. My name is Suzie, FRG’s online adviser. Congratulations on the birth of your grandson. I am sorry to hear though of the difficulties your family is currently experiencing and that the baby has had to go into a foster placement and you have not met him yet.

Both you and your daughter have had viability assessments – neither of you have had a copy yet and you were told that yours was negative because you work full time. As you have already identified it is important to get a copy of the assessments and to challenge them!
Here is our guide to viability assessments. Please see page 18 section (e) which focuses on the employment status of the prospective carer and summarises the thinking and possible options where there may be a potential conflict between the carer’s work commitments and the child’s identified needs. The age and needs of the child is important here – in your case your grandson is a newborn baby but by the time the court case is over he will be at least 6 months old.

This guide includes tips on what to do if you are unhappy with the outcome of an assessment and wish to challenge (please see pages 40 – 41, section 10) such as:

• Writing a letter that explains why you disagree, or whether you think things in the report are wrong. That letter can then be attached to the report so that anyone who reads it sees your side;
• Getting independent legal advice. You may wish to seek advice from a lawyer on the Law Society Children Panel, although this may not be free, and it will therefore be important for you to find out first what it would cost to get this advice;
• Asking the court’s permission to be joined to the proceedings too;
• Going to a court hearing to ask the court to make a legal order that the child come to live with you if the child can’t be with their parents.

You might want to follow more than one option, and if you disagree with the outcome of the assessment you should explain that to the local authority, get independent legal advice, and perhaps also attend court.

You don’t say if your daughter also had a negative assessment but if so she could also follow the above.

I don’t know why children’s services have taken so long to inform you and why you have not yet been sent a copy of the assessments but do continue to chase this up, via the local authority legal services or complaints department if need be.

Your son, as the child’s father, has a solicitor to represent him and could also follow this up. Your son should also discuss with his solicitor the possibility of a residential assessment too. If your son is a young father he may find the following helpful: young fathers’ advice .

I hope this helps a little.

Please do post again if we can help or ring to speak to an adviser on our freephone advice helpline 0808 8010366, Mon to Fri, 9.30 am to 3.00 pm.

With best wishes

Suzie

Hi I also worked full time and explained to them that I would be giving up work to care for my grandchildren. This is not a valid reason to be given a negative!
I appealed my negative and requested a second viability assessment of which I passed!
Don't give up