Risk assessment

[Pebbles83]

Hi Everyone .
I'm completely new here and new to everything to do with a risk assessment.
On Tuesday my hubby and myself have a risk assessment getting done on us.

Back story.
My step-daughter has done and passed the sgo for her niece.
The baby (13 months) has been taken off her mother as they said she couldn't protect her (that's very true)
There is s final court date's for September suppose to last 3/4 days together the final verdict on how many day's and hours a week or month the mother and father can see the child (birth parents are not together).
The parents and both grandparents on birth mother and fathers side are not aloud to see the child with out supervision for the 3 hours 1 day a week each.
My husband is the father to the mother of the baby.
We don't have supervision when we see the child but social services have said that we are not aloud to see her or be left alone with her at all.
They know that we see her everyday as we are the only ones in the family that are supporting the Aunty and baby and the social services have been told that many of times by the Aunty.
The social services have said under no circumstances is the grandmother on the birth mother's side aloud to see the Aunty (her daughter ) or the baby at all as she has failed a risk assessment and liability assessment 3 times.
But the Aunty has admitted to the ss that she sees her mother often.
But does not see her sister (biryh mother of the child).
The reason the aunty is not aloud contact with her mother is the ss have put in there report that the mother and sister mentally abuse her so ss have said no contact.
In September the Aunty is going back to college 3 days a week and I was originally suppose to drop child to nursery then aunty to college go back up and pick my granddaughter up from nursery at 1 o clock.
She would come home with me where she would be till her aunty got back from college at around 6-6.30.
The Aunty would have t here as would be in oven waiting then
The child would have been fed,bathed and p-jays on so would be ready for bed when I dropped them back home around 7-7.30.
The child would be in nursery from 8-1 3 days a week and she is 13 months old.
Now the ss have said that is not happening and the child would be in nursery 3 days a weekfrom8-5.30.
My argumen is that it's far to much fir a 13 month old, they would need to leave at 7.15 in morning and wouldn't get back till at least 6.45, then she would need food,bath,beds you talking 8.30-9.
Then it's up again next day at 6.
They have said that I can take them and puck then upbut not aloud to have her on my own ever.
My question's are.
1. Can the ss really have that much say/control when the ss lose the parental right after the court has finished in September and the aunty has the sgo till the child is 18?
2. What is a risk assessment and if I pass what does that mean?
3.Would I be aloud contact with out supervision?
4. They have said i could see her on my own for 2-3 hours to start with but not when the aunty is in college, I'll only be aloud to see her when the aunty is not in college? Then on the same breath I'm not aloud her on my own
(Makes no sence)
5. I have no police record never been arrested have 4 children boys myself (all grown up ages 22,21,19,18)
6.I have no idea if the ss can really have this much say, they keep going back and forth with everything.
This assessment Was suppose to be done 3 months ago and change it all the time and we are sure it will be cancelled next week.
Im very worried that they are just doing it as my step daughter has been going on to them for 3 months and they are just going to fail me and say that they done it so can't ask again she is so desperate for a break as been with child 24/7 for 5 month (she got the child at 8 months old).
The ss have said they would pay for a child minder to have the child for the weekend so she could have a break.
That when they are in court for the 3 days in September she will be getting passed to 3 different support workers everyday and have to stay out not aloud in any of there own houses or anything they have to stay out in town.
Please can someone tell me if this is aloud or even right and what can I do about it so she is not going to get put through all this.
Why im I only aloud a risk assessment and not a viability one even tho I have no idea what that is lol.
They have saidno contact with ppl but know the aunty has agins there saying so but have done nothing about it.
The aunty have been cut off from the whole family from ss.
I hope someone can help with some advice that would be absolutely fantastic and I wouldn't be able to thank you enough . X

[Pebbles83]

Update
Had my assessment today and the ss said she can't see any problems.
My step daughter social worker had said that i would only be aloud a couple of hours here and there but the social worker who done my assessment today
Didn't say anything about that and was talking like there was no time limit and over night contact was aloud
My step-daughter's social worker said I would NEVER EVER be aloud over night contact ever and only couple hours here and there.
Can someone please tell me the rules around this and if I would be aloud over night contact and not have limited hours?

I would be completing grateful....thank you

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Pebbles83

Thank you for your post. My name is Suzie, I am an online adviser and will be replying to your two post today by way of one response.

I am sorry to hear of your distress and hope the information provided is helpful to you.

Your stepdaughter has successfully completed a special guardianship assessment to care for her niece. This bodes very well for the granting of a Special Guardianship Order (SGO) . The court will make the final decision once the information has been put before them. Once an SGO is granted this gives the person named on the order (your step daughter in this case) parental responsibility for the child. It is then the responsibly of the special guardian to make sure the child’s safety and wellbeing are placed at the forefront of any decision making regarding contact and other such matters. The court may decide to grand the local authority a Supervision Order alongside the SGO and in doing so, this will give the local authority a duty to support and guide the family regarding the welfare of the child. Supervision Orders are typically granted for one year.

From the information you have provided there seems to be a fair amount of confusion around who can and can’t see the child and whether this is supervised or unsupervised. I would suggest your stepdaughter goes back to children’s services, in writing, to ask for clarification on the points you have raised. It may be that there are interim arrangements in place until the final hearing in September and there will be more straight forward contact arrangements put in place going forward. In some circumstances the court can make a child arrangement order for contact with parents and other significant people in the child’s life.

Do you know whether your step daughter has sought legal advice following the special guardianship assessment? It is usual for the local authority to provide funds to cover some, if not all of the costs, associated to this. If she has not, I would recommend that she discusses this with the social worker and a solicitor. I have added a link HERE to The Law Society which has a facility to find a solicitor. Your step daughter will need one who specialises in child law.

In respect of your risk assessment. Once completed you should receive a copy with outcome and recommendations. The risk assessment should outline risk and potential risk and what needs to happen to remove or reduce it. It is not possible for me to say whether your stepdaughter’s niece will be allowed overnight staying contact with you as I do not have all of the information before me and it is beyond our remit.

We would advise you and your stepdaughter to work with professionals to ensure any decisions regarding the child’s welfare, including contact arrangements, are child focussed and in her best interested. I have added a link HERE which I hope you find helpful. It is to our ‘top tips’ when working with social workers. It provides advice and guidance on how to maintain a productive working relationship with them and how to address any concerns you may have if you are not satisfied with the service they are providing.

I hope you find this information useful.  Should you wish to speak to an adviser please call our free advice line: 0808 801 0366 (Mon to Fri 9.30a.m. – 3.00p.m) excluding bank holidays. Or you can of course, post again on here.

Best wishes, Suzie