My wife and I have attended an ICPCC at which a Core Assessment was presented compiled by the Social Worker. It painted a very biased "bad" view of our parenting - especially of my wife - and of the risk to our child (who has Down's Syndrome). It strongly made a case for our child being labelled "at risk" (in our view totally wrongly).
We had very little time to get in our response pre-conference ( a day ) and I did my best to send in all the corrections, some were applied and some were not. There was not time in the conference to check what had been corrected and what had not (it was a long report).
All the corrections to those segments in the Social Workers report that were based on reports from other agencies were left uncorrected. Apparently hearsay is admitted and they don't seem interested in our versions. (The sources were not clear to me in the initial version of the report that they were from other agencies or I might have responded in a different manner, but this emerged in the Conference and in the 2nd partially corrected version of the report that was handed out at Conference).
The report was "taken as read" not gone through in the conference, so we had little opportunity to respond to errors in it during the meeting.
The ICPCC outcome was kind of OK for us ie "Child in Need" and a plan devised.
Our child being severely disabled is "in need" by definition [- though I don't really see why Social Services therefore have the right to inspect and criticise every aspect of our home life on an ongoing basis.]
BUT the Social Worker's Core Report was and remains factually inaccurate, exaggerating of risks and defamatory of my wife, and also if used in future as a basis for Child Protection action could place my child at risk of being "taken" by Social Services.
Q1. Should this concern me? OR is the Report simply "history" ie will Children's Services or the Courts ever use this Core Assessment Report as a basis for future action?
Following receipt of the ICPCC minutes, I sent in further corrections & feedback and my wife sent in her version of the outside agency reported incidents, to try and get across our version of what happened.
I also raised a complaint with Children's Services and queried part of the procedure used in the Conference.
The Safeguarding Division have agreed to include my corrections as an addendum to the ICPCC minutes and to delete the 1st draft that was sent out from their records (but not to correct the Core Report further) .
There are significant errors that remained in the Core Report version that was used in Case Conference and there seems to be no intention to produce an updated and corrected version of the this Core Report post-conference.
Q2. Is this to be expected - or should I expect the Core report to be updated with corrections to incorrect facts.
I have not yet heard what they intend doing with my wife's versions of events. They said they will get back to me by the end of next week on our ICPCC feeedback.
My complaints were rejected by the Social Worker's manager and I have asked it to go to stage 2 of their complaints procedure.
The Childrens Services Complaints Procedure they have described to me differs significantly from the one in the FRG guidance notes.
They say that I can "request" a Stage 2 investigation but that they are at liberty to reject my request and also I can only request a Stage 2 if there is "new evidence", I may not simply repeat what was in my original complaint.
Q3. Is this normal (for a local Complaints Procedure to differ like this)?
Q4. What if they reject my request to go to Stage 2? Can I go to the Ombudsman on the grounds I have gone as far as they will let me with their complaints procedure?
Meantime we have the unpleasant requirement to meet and discuss things regularly with the Social Worker who put in and has not removed false information about us in the Report, hyped up all the risks, and made us look like crazies with no judgement of risk to our child.
Q5. Do we have to keep talking with the Social Worker and how can we defend ourselves from the Social Worker doing the same thing again ie fabricating and exaggerating risks to our son and changing our words to things we did not say - then refusing to correct the errors?
I am tempted to say we won't talk to the Social Worker as agreed in the "in need, plan", but we have been advised that this will likely cause them to treat us as suspicious and non-cooperative (which to Social Services seems to equate in the literature to violent!) and "up their game".
My wife wants to ask for another Social Worker, which may be a good idea, but I think the refusal to correct the mistakes is coming from the team Manager (perhaps from their "processes") so it may make little difference.
What do you advise?
Jon
False picture in ICPCC Core Assessment Report
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Suzie, FRG Adviser
- Posts: 4996
- Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:57 pm
Re: False picture in ICPCC Core Assessment Report
Dear Jon
Welcome to the discussion forum and thank you for your post. My name is Suzie and I am an adviser at Family Rights Group. I’m sorry to hear about the difficulties that you and your family have recently experienced.
Child Protection Conference Report
You have explained that the report brought to the recent child protection conference in relation to your son contains a number of inaccuracies and misleading information.
This report will remain on your son’s file, alongside all other relevant documentation. If there were to be a further referral or child protection concern in relation to your son, these files would be viewed and information from them could form part of any future decision making or planning.
Having said that, obviously the report would not be viewed in isolation but in the context of the rest of the file. At the child protection conference, a decision was taken that, regardless of the social work report, your son is not suffering or likely to suffer “significant harm” and a child protection plan is not required. Furthermore, you have stated that the local authority have agreed to attach an addendum to the conference minutes, which clearly sets out the disputed facts and your views on these.
In terms of amending written records and reports, it is not unusual for the local authority to refuse to remove or change information. Where things are clearly factually inaccurate (e.g. where a name or date of birth is incorrect) the matter is straightforward to resolve. Where there is a disputed version of events or a difference in interpretation, however, the report will stand as the social worker’s professional assessment of the situation at that time. What is very important, as has happened in your case, is that you have a right to have your own views clearly represented on file so that anyone viewing the file in the future will have access to the whole picture from all sides.
The report should also clearly state what is “fact” and what is “opinion” (albeit, opinion based on professional assessment) so I would advise that you look carefully at the report and your own addendum to ensure that this is clearly represented. You have a right to access your son’s file if you wish to ensure that you are clear about exactly what it contains- there is an advice sheet about this on our website. Be aware, though, that Children’s Services have the right to remove certain third party information from the file before showing it to you.
Complaint
Regarding your complaint, I do not believe it is right for the manager to have the option of rejecting your request to escalate to stage 2 of the complaints process as this would defeat the purpose of having a process at all. Clearly you are asking for the complaint to be looked at by someone else on the basis that you are unhappy with the response you have currently received.
Children’s services will have a specific complaint team. If you are getting nowhere with the social work manager, I would advise that you contact the complaints manager and make your request directly to them. If this is refused, ask for the decision to be clearly explained to you in writing. If you are still not getting a satisfactory response, I would advise that you contact the local government ombudsman for their input and advice.
Child in Need Plan
In theory, the child in need process is entirely voluntary and intended to be a partnership between parents and professionals. On this basis, you have every right to say that you no longer feel the social worker’s input is useful and ask for the plan to be ended. In reality, however, this is clearly not going to be an appropriate plan in your circumstances and is likely to escalate the situation unnecessarily.
As you have said, refusal to engage with the social worker will be seen as non co-operative and may raise additional concerns about your ability to prioritise your son’s needs. My advice is to continue to co-operate fully with Children’s Services while, at the same time, continuing to raise your own queries and concerns in a positive and constructive way.
It may be useful to follow up any significant discussion/ meetings with the social worker in writing. Emphasise that your son is your priority and that you want to co-operate and work in partnership with Children’s Services for his best interests but that you want to ensure that discussions/ agreements are clear in order to do this effectively. Set out your record of the discussion that has taken place and any actions agreed and ask the social worker to respond if you have misunderstood. This then gives you a clear ongoing record for any future meetings.
You have every right to request a new social worker and this may be very useful in your case to give a fresh start in a sense. Be aware, however, that Children’s Services do not have to meet your request and you may end up working with the same social worker anyway. It is important, therefore, that you are careful about the wording of your request and emphasise simply that you want to ensure the most positive working relationship in the best interests of your son.
I hope this is helpful Jon. Please do post again if you have any further questions or call our free and confidential advice line (0808 8010366), which is open from 9.30am- 3.30pm, Monday- Friday.
Best Wishes
Suzie
FRG Adviser
Welcome to the discussion forum and thank you for your post. My name is Suzie and I am an adviser at Family Rights Group. I’m sorry to hear about the difficulties that you and your family have recently experienced.
Child Protection Conference Report
You have explained that the report brought to the recent child protection conference in relation to your son contains a number of inaccuracies and misleading information.
This report will remain on your son’s file, alongside all other relevant documentation. If there were to be a further referral or child protection concern in relation to your son, these files would be viewed and information from them could form part of any future decision making or planning.
Having said that, obviously the report would not be viewed in isolation but in the context of the rest of the file. At the child protection conference, a decision was taken that, regardless of the social work report, your son is not suffering or likely to suffer “significant harm” and a child protection plan is not required. Furthermore, you have stated that the local authority have agreed to attach an addendum to the conference minutes, which clearly sets out the disputed facts and your views on these.
In terms of amending written records and reports, it is not unusual for the local authority to refuse to remove or change information. Where things are clearly factually inaccurate (e.g. where a name or date of birth is incorrect) the matter is straightforward to resolve. Where there is a disputed version of events or a difference in interpretation, however, the report will stand as the social worker’s professional assessment of the situation at that time. What is very important, as has happened in your case, is that you have a right to have your own views clearly represented on file so that anyone viewing the file in the future will have access to the whole picture from all sides.
The report should also clearly state what is “fact” and what is “opinion” (albeit, opinion based on professional assessment) so I would advise that you look carefully at the report and your own addendum to ensure that this is clearly represented. You have a right to access your son’s file if you wish to ensure that you are clear about exactly what it contains- there is an advice sheet about this on our website. Be aware, though, that Children’s Services have the right to remove certain third party information from the file before showing it to you.
Complaint
Regarding your complaint, I do not believe it is right for the manager to have the option of rejecting your request to escalate to stage 2 of the complaints process as this would defeat the purpose of having a process at all. Clearly you are asking for the complaint to be looked at by someone else on the basis that you are unhappy with the response you have currently received.
Children’s services will have a specific complaint team. If you are getting nowhere with the social work manager, I would advise that you contact the complaints manager and make your request directly to them. If this is refused, ask for the decision to be clearly explained to you in writing. If you are still not getting a satisfactory response, I would advise that you contact the local government ombudsman for their input and advice.
Child in Need Plan
In theory, the child in need process is entirely voluntary and intended to be a partnership between parents and professionals. On this basis, you have every right to say that you no longer feel the social worker’s input is useful and ask for the plan to be ended. In reality, however, this is clearly not going to be an appropriate plan in your circumstances and is likely to escalate the situation unnecessarily.
As you have said, refusal to engage with the social worker will be seen as non co-operative and may raise additional concerns about your ability to prioritise your son’s needs. My advice is to continue to co-operate fully with Children’s Services while, at the same time, continuing to raise your own queries and concerns in a positive and constructive way.
It may be useful to follow up any significant discussion/ meetings with the social worker in writing. Emphasise that your son is your priority and that you want to co-operate and work in partnership with Children’s Services for his best interests but that you want to ensure that discussions/ agreements are clear in order to do this effectively. Set out your record of the discussion that has taken place and any actions agreed and ask the social worker to respond if you have misunderstood. This then gives you a clear ongoing record for any future meetings.
You have every right to request a new social worker and this may be very useful in your case to give a fresh start in a sense. Be aware, however, that Children’s Services do not have to meet your request and you may end up working with the same social worker anyway. It is important, therefore, that you are careful about the wording of your request and emphasise simply that you want to ensure the most positive working relationship in the best interests of your son.
I hope this is helpful Jon. Please do post again if you have any further questions or call our free and confidential advice line (0808 8010366), which is open from 9.30am- 3.30pm, Monday- Friday.
Best Wishes
Suzie
FRG Adviser
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Jon
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Sun Oct 07, 2012 5:01 pm
Re: False picture in ICPCC Core Assessment Report
Thank you, Suzie for the helpful advice.
Jon
Jon
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