Case should have been closed.

[Vanguard]

Hi, hope you're well. Just wondering about the outcome for you. Hope it's OK to ask after this time.
I missed a child in need meeting due to health reasons and had written support from gp but social worker doorstepped me and threatened escalation and legal action. I stuck with my letter saying I needed break and i would stick with medical advice. She went off to speak with manager and was going to get back to me. That's been over a month ago and I haven't heard anything since. Don't know what their plan is.

[Winter25]

Hi Vanguard,

From what you've shared, it sounds like you acted completely reasonably, you had a valid medical reason for not attending the CIN meeting, backed up by a GP note. A voluntary plan under Section 17 cannot lawfully be enforced through threats of “legal action” for non-attendance, especially without any current evidence of risk.

The silence from the social worker for over a month suggests one of two things:

They attempted to escalate, but the Team Manager or legal department didn't agree there were grounds

or

They are deliberately avoiding putting anything in writing because they don’t have a basis to escalate, but also don’t want to formally close the case.

Either way, the power imbalance only continues if you wait. So, next steps are about taking back control, politely but firmly:

Send a 7-Day Written Request for Status Update to the Department

You can send the following email to the social worker, copying their Team Manager in as well. Just change the parts that need changing
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Subject: Formal Request for Status Update – CIN Case for [Child’s Name/s]

Dear [Social Worker’s Name] and [Team Manager’s Name],

Further to [date] when I notified you of my need to prioritise my health, supported by written evidence from my GP, I have now been waiting over [X days/weeks] for an update regarding the status of the Child in Need plan.

As you are aware:

I had to miss the scheduled CIN meeting for medical reasons,

I confirmed in writing that this was a temporary, medically advised break,

I was informed that a discussion with your manager would take place and I would be updated.

To date, no formal written response has been provided.

Please now confirm, in writing and within 7 days, whether:

The CIN plan remains open,

Any further action is being considered,

You are now closing the case due to the absence of new concerns.

I remain committed to ensuring my children are safe and supported, as I always have. However, I am unable to continue under a plan that is unresponsive and causing prolonged uncertainty.

Kind regards,
[Your Full Name]
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Once you send that, you’ll have a clear timestamped record. If they still don’t reply within 7 days, you can either withdraw consent immediately or submit a Stage 1 formal complaint for lack of communication and proportionality.

Let me know if you’d like help tailoring the email or pushing further if they still avoid giving a clear answer. You will have to DM for this though
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For full transparency, I am not an official adviser for this forum. I am a parent who has been through a long and successful legal battle with a local authority, and I am here to offer supportive, strategic advice based on my own lived experience. The information I share is for guidance, and it is always up to each parent to decide what is right for their own situation.

Please note: The forum admins have now restricted me to two public posts per week, so I cannot reply to everyone. If you need more advice or help, please send me a Direct Message (DM) by clicking the speech bubble next to my name.