Negative parent asessment

[Missbe1984]

Hi my child has been on child in need when I was living in X then I moved to home down and they put my child on child protection then I had a parent assessment which came out negative and he was on a plo but now they gonna do court proceedings I am so worried I also have many mental problems do you think I can do another parent assessment?

[KatKat10]

Yes you can challenge a negative outcome of your parenting assessment, if you are in PLO do you have a solicitor? Being in PLO means you get automatic legal aid. If you don't have a solicitor get one fast and give them a copy of your PLO letter, get a solicitor who is accredited in Child Law (not Family Law).

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Hi my child has been on child in need when I was living in X then I moved to home down and they put my child on child protection then I had a parent assessment which came out negative and he was on a plo but now they gonna do court proceedings I am so worried I also have many mental problems do you think I can do another parent assessment?

Dear Missbe1984

Thank you for your post. I have replied fully to both your posts in one in my earlier response. I hope it is helpful to you.

Best wishes

Suzie

[Bumblebee333]

Hi
My daughter wad taken to live with my mum back in
August and I was arrested for child neglect. Nothing came of it, I’ve been waiting for court and working hard with my mental illness. I’ve just had a negative parenting assessment and done nothing but cry for days. The independent social worker feels my risk of relapse is too high to parent my daughter again. Does anybody know if you can be successful with a negative parenting assessment?

Best wishes

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Bumblebee333

Welcome to the discussion board and thank you for your post. My name is Suzie, I am an online adviser and will be responding to you today.

I am sorry to hear of your situation, it must be a difficult time for you. It is to your credit that you are working hard to address your mental health issues at this time of stress and uncertainty. Whilst is must be hard to keep on track when you have received a negative parenting assessment, I would encourage you to continue to remain focus and determined to maintain stable mental health.

Your daughter was removed from your care and taken to live with your mum in August 2022. You were arrested for child neglect and have just received a negative parenting assessment completed by an independent social worker. This has been very upsetting for you. You are asking whether your daughter may still be returned to your care following the negative assessment.

A parenting assessment is part of the assessment process that informs the court as to whether a parent can care for their child at this time. Whilst I cannot say for certain that a negative assessment would result in your daughter not returning to your care (I do not have all the information before me, and it is outside of our remit) it is fair to say that a parenting assessment does have a strong influence on such decisions.

I think from the information you have provided you are in Care Proceedings. If so, you will have a solicitor now as part of this process. I would suggest you discuss the outcome of your parenting assessment with them and consider the specific reasons why it was negative. They can advise you further on the possibility of challenging this assessment. The more you understand what children’s services are worried about the more you can do to try to make the changes they think are necessary for you to be able to care for your child.


I hope this information is helpful but if you wish to speak to an adviser, please telephone our advice service on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open from 9.30am to 3pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) or of course you can post again on here.

Best wishes, Suzie

[InNeedMom111104]

Hi so does all negative assessments that are sent to court mean the judge will not grant the child to be back in the parent’s life? Even if all other things that the parent as undertaken like counselling, women’s aid and doing all contact centre etc have been positive.. what does the judge take into consideration? What if the social workers missed appointments of the assessments etc what if social workers only did stand parent assessment and not the PAMS assessment that the judge required at 2nd hearing due to the lack of the social workers not being fully qualified to carry out the PAMS does that mean it’s the parent fault?

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear InNeedMom111104

Thank you for your post and welcome to the discussion board. My name is Suzy, I am an online adviser and will be responding to you today.

You are seeking advice and information on whether all negative parenting assessments result in a child being removed permanently from their parent(s) when there are other aspects of the situation to consider. For example, when a parent has sought support to reduce risk and to stabilise emotional wellbeing or where the type of assessment is not the one requested or carried out robustly.

A parenting assessment is a key piece of information which should be a fair reflection of the strengths and limitations of a parent’s ability to meet their child’s needs. The court will need to take this, and other factors into consideration when weighing up, on the balance of probabilities, whether a parent is able to meet a child’s needs until their majority (18 years old). The information will be put before the court, parties to the proceedings will be given the opportunity to respond and the court will make the final decision based on the child’s best interest.

You say a PAMS assessment was requested by the court but not carried out by children’s service. PAMS assessments are used with parents or carers with learning difficulties or additional needs. If a specific assessment has been agreed within the court arena but not carried out it will be the local authority’s responsibility to explain this to the court. It may be that if you challenge the assessment the court orders an independent social worker to complete an updating assessment. I would suggest you work closely with your solicitor, to discuss your concerns and to seek their legal advice in respect of your situation. I have added HERE a link to guidance when working with solicitors and social workers that I hope you find helpful.

I hope you find this information helpful. There are many different ways to contact Family Rights Group if you seek further advice in the future regarding children’s services :

• A free telephone advice line open Monday to Friday between 9.30am and 3pm (excluding Bank Holidays) on 0808 801 0366
• Easy-to-follow online information. Features include an A-Z, FAQs, films, ‘top tips’ and legal advice sheets;
• Online forums where families can receive advice, discuss issues, and find support;
• A webchat service where you can message an adviser online, who will help you find information and advice to support you.

Best wishes, Suzie

[InNeedMom111104]

Hi Sue thank you for your reply. My daughter does not have learning difficulties. A PAMS was requested at hearing in June social services completed a normal parent assessment they confirmed because they have no one qualified to do PAMS. Also when her baby was taken from hospital should my daughter have had a visit from a professional the next day for her wellbeing and support this never happened. Should the social services also offered her an advocate to attend big meetings etc with professionals etc she is 19 and all this as been so over whelming to and all the immediate wider family. She as a solicitor her solicitor as confirmed she too as not received any paperwork from social services at no minutes from meetings no reports from all the things my daughter as completed etc. therefore her solicitor as from this Monday as applied to the courts for a non compliance order will all this help my daughter can my daughter at this stage apply for the order to removed and her child returned to her. She made a glitch which was to see the father of her child who is the main cause of why her child was put into temporary foster they found out and immediately gave her a negative assessment when they said she was about 85% percent there none of this makes sense the solicitor is also frustrated with not getting anything back from the LA everyone she as worked with including seeing her child at contact are shocked as to why LA have done this when they all said she as done amazing just a slight glitch as mentioned above. Something to me a sounds not right? I wait your reply thank you

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear InNeedMom111104

Thank you for your further post.

I see from your post that you have confirmed that your daughter does not have learning difficulties. The court how-ever, directed that a PAMS assessment should be done. It is not enough for the local authority to say they do not have anyone qualified to do this. It would be their responsibility to find someone from outside their service to carry out the piece of work. As advised previously, it will for them to explain to the court their reasons for not complying with the court order.

If your daughter believes that having an advocate would be helpful, she can request that children’s services provide one. This is not an automatic right, and you can read information HERE about this.

As your daughter now has a solicitor, they will be able to ask children’s services to provide these reports, minutes etc. It appears that the solicitor is experiencing the same difficulties as your daughter in getting information and has brought it to the attention of the court. Your daughter’s solicitor is best placed to challenge children’s services as we can only offer general advice, and they can be more specific in respect of the case.

There is no specific rule that children’s services has to provide support to a parent when a child is removed but it would be good practice to offer support. Your daughter may find it helpful to speak with this service, MATCH 0800 689 4104 regarding separation from her child. Was your daughter offered a mother and baby foster placement or a mother and baby residential assessment unit. If not, this is something she could discuss with her solicitor. There is information about this HERE

Here is information related to care proceedings to help you understand the process better.

I see that you refer to your daughter having a glitch when she was in contact with her baby’s father. If she had agreed not to do so or signed a safety plan that she would not do so, then children’s services may have taken the view that she could not be trusted to keep her baby safe or put the child’s needs before her own. You say he was the reason for children’s services becoming involved so her contact with him may also be seen as your daughter not having enough insight or understanding of why he is unsafe to be around. This small glitch as you refer to it may be considered significant by children's services.

Your posts do not mention domestic abuse but if this an issue, your daughter may wish to read this information

If your daughter explained how this contact came about and reassured children’s services that she now has a better understanding of her situation then they should take this into account. Her solicitor is likely to advise her more about this. I think it is important for you and your daughter to understand that children’s services main concern will be safeguarding for your grandchild.

The good work she has already done should not be ignored or disregarded and it would help if she was given an opportunity to show that she is able to work effectively with children’s services to keep her child safe. Your daughter should speak with her solicitor about this.

I suggest you go back to the last response which you should read together with this one. You may also wish to look at our young parents’ hub with your daughter. There is very helpful information for young parents.

I hope this is helpful. If you wish to speak with an adviser, you can telephone our advice line on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open from 9.00am to 3.00pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays)

Best wishes

Suzie

[Annoymous8]

Hi I need some advice regarding a parenting assessment I apparently had done it’s come back negative an every time I have asked why it’s negative every social worker I have asked they all ignore me an won’t tell me an no idea why