what is a scrutiny panel?

[deletedkatkat10]

I've been waiting nearly a year for the council to provide an Advocate so I can engage with the process (I have communication disabilities).

In their most recent pre conference report they've written that that will be taking the child protection plan to scrunity panel.

I tried googling what this is but cannot find anything. I have a solicitor for dealing with the discrimination side of things but she isn't a family lawyer. She seemed concerned about this term of scrunity panel.

Are they trying to take my kids away because the council wouldn't provide an Advocate until my solicitor threatened legal action?

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear bananabiscuitscakes

Welcome to the parents’ discussion forum and thank you for your post. My name is Suzie and I am Family Rights Group’s online adviser. I am sorry to hear about the difficulties you and your family are experiencing.

From the information provided, you are a parent with a communication disability whose children are on a child protection plan for almost a year or so. During this time, you have rightfully requested an advocate to assist you to participate properly in the meetings about your children but you have not yet been offered advocacy. You have instructed a solicitor specialising in discrimination matters to assist you with this and they have written to the local authority on your behalf. You can find some information about advocacy here.

I wondered if you have had an assessment by Adult Social Care ? You can find out more about help that you may be entitled to as an adult/ parent with a disability here and here.

You are worried as the most recent social work report for the child protection review conference refers to taking the child protection plan for your children to a ‘scrutiny’ panel. You are wondering what this is and what the implications are. You are particularly worried that the local authority may be considering taking your children away because your solicitor has written to them about possible legal action due to their failure to provide you with an advocate.

I would recommend that you ask the social worker, in an email, cc their manager and the Chair, to provide you with written information setting out what the composition and purpose of the scrutiny panel in your area is, and in particular querying how this relates to your children’s protection plan. As they refer to this as an action in the conference report about your children it is their responsibility to be transparent about what this is and why your children’s plan is being discussed there. If they do not provide you with this information you could consider making a complaint.

I am not familiar with ‘scrutiny’ panels but think that it may be a quality assurance process whereby representatives of the key safeguarding agencies e.g. children’s services and health, monitor the effectiveness of the plan and review how the services are working together with your family to safeguard your children. It may make recommendations for improvements or services to be offered. It is possible that it was been prompted by your solicitor raising concerns that you are being unfairly treated by not being provided with an advocate.

If your local authority were considering removing your children from your care, without your consent, this would not be via a scrutiny panel, instead they would need to hold a legal planning meeting and begin a pre-proceedings (PLO) process unless it was an emergency. Please see this FAQ : can social workers remove a child from home? which explains this further.

I hope this is helpful.

Please post back on this forum or call FRG’s freephone advice line on 0808 8010366 if you have a further query. The lines are open Mon to Fri from 9.30 am to 3.00 pm (except bank holidays).

Best wishes

Suzie