FINAL STRAW

[endofline]

Social services have made me change my address, engaged in parenting assessments etc, give my child to his grandparents and put me through hell and back with no proof and only a child protection plan.
What i'm learning now is the way they cornered me into signing a vollentary placement to hi grandparents was wrong and that i had the right to object which they certainly didnt give me the option to do so I was made to think that if I said no, he would go to foster care and this would make me an awful mother.

I was made to remove his clothes and I did everything they asked and they still have no proof that anything ever happened to my child and it wasn’t even me under question but my ‘then’ boyfriend and the agreement was that I could never see him again if I wanted my son back which I didn’t and I cut all contact, moved house, changed numbers, don’t go on facebook!

I’m going to look into compensation for me and my family as I feel I was completely let down and that they abused their power and the meetings were always cancelled last minute, some people never received minutes of the meeting even though his real father did and he has NO contact with his father and till this day he hasn’t bothered to turn up for a meeting or for any contact. The social worker held back important information from me and my words were twisted.

If I said I felt sad and I missed my child and I cried at the meetings, I was asked if I should visit the doctor to make sure I was emotionally stable. If I agreed with everything they asked of me and didn’t query anything, I was accused of not caring or giving a crap about my child. If I said i felt I was in a position where I didn’t know what to say as the woman completing my parenting assessment asked me if I wanted a boyfriend and I said I didn’t and no I wasn’t interested. She said this was very worrying. So I felt if I had said yes I did want a partner she would of wrote in her report that I was already thinking about a man and I hadn’t even got my son back yet. So I was honest and I confessed to her that I felt she was putting me in a situation where I didn’t know the correct thing to say anymore.
I then received the outcome of the parenting assessment a few weeks later and she twisted my words to say she felt the answers I were giving to her questions were the ones I thought she wanted to hear and I wasn’t being open and honest.

Don't trust social services. Don't assume they have you or your childs best intrests and whatever you do don't give in. If they don't have proof they have to take you to court (an option i missed out on) and this will be lengthly, costly and above all they have to gather evidence for this.

I'm completely at witts end after only just starting a rehabilitation program after nearly a year from hell. Also just had a meeting today and they said that it was in my sons best intrests to see his gparents every weekend, all weekend. I argued and said this wasn't fair as i work all week and i deserve to see my son after not having him for months on end. No one backed me up obviously because me and the gparents dont get on and were delighted with this arangement. Im sick of everyone elses concerns and opinions being taken onboard but not mine. They have to wean him off his grandparents care and his grandparents off caring for him but i was given no gradual weening process. MY son was taken, cruely and quickly and my feelings were never ever taken into consideration. I've just about had enough!!

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Just to add to that, my social worker never sees me. It says in the plan she must do every 2 weeks but she never does.

[carla150]

Hi you really need to put in a complaint, if contact is court ordered?, then your SW visiting every 2 weeks will be on the plan set by court, in which case she is breaching that, start a complaint as soon as possible, if people dont complain then CS/SW/SS get away with it unquestioned!
The more who complain, the more it will be noticed that the same issues are arising in different areas so they may have to fully investigate ALL CS/SW/SS.
I am sure there are good SW and CS out there, but I have yet to hear anything positive.

Chin up, and dont let them get to you, you deserve better!

Carla

[Murray72]

Hi,
If you can prove a permanent change of circumstances, ie: moving house, cutting contact with your ex and cooperating with Children's Services, then it sounds like you need to get the case into court and in front of a Judge. I would speak to a legal representative asap.

If contact with your Son is positve and you have always maintained a consistent and positive level of contact this will help you.

I would consider getting your MP involved if you want to go down the route of complaining and seeking compensation, they can support you and although they will officially tell you they cannot question the decisions made by professionals (CS) they can ask questions and speak to the people in Local Authorities that have more clout. And as depressing as it when an MP writes a letter the Local Authority respond much faster and suddenly become much more efficient.

Hope this helps.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Hi endofline

It is possible to involve your MP at an early stage, but most likely they will direct you towards the Local Authority complaints process.

Please be mindful that putting in a formal complaint during care proceedings is likely to result in it being considered, or any response, until after the court process has been completed.

However, on your instruction, your solicitor can address any breaches of court agreement, particularly if a key part of monitoring your child's progress, is not being adhered to, and this information is being reported back to court.

Best Wishes


Suzie