Child wants to return home

[Wayhar85]

Good morning,

My wife currently has two children in care aged 16 and 14. The children were taken into care prior to our relationship during covid. At the time she was a single mother struggling and worried about financial struggles and due to her being a key worker the children were removed as it was believed they were being left alone overnight and ultimately she was investigated for child neglect. I must stress that this was not the case and she has not been found guilty in criminal court. The family court found her guilty based off no evidence, as I image they would if they believe a child's welfare is at risk. They have been in the care system since 2021 where they were having regular supervised contact, then all of a sudden a new care worker took that away and it went to indirect contact.

Supervised contact will resume in a weeks time, however during indirect contact her daughter (16 years old) is expressing a strong desire to return to our home with immediate effect. She also turned up at our home expressing she wants to come home. My wife followed protocol and contacted their care manager and she returned, however I feel she may come to us again and refuse to leave and go back to her care home.

Apologies for the detailed background, but my question is if she turned up at our home again and refused to leave,

1. Will the Police get involved and do they have the power to use force to remove her from the home.

2. Would the carer worker have the authority to remove her from the home.

3. What would the process be and implications which may affect her (the daughter) and my wife.

I would be very grateful for any advice on this.

Thanks.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Wayhar85

Welcome to the Board and thank you for your questions.

When children are in care and there is a Care Order in place the local authority as well as the parent(s) have parental responsibility for the children. Children who are under an order generally live where the local authority has placed them, sometimes this can be with their parent or other relatives - often it will be with a foster carer.

If the police were asked by a local authority to return a child to the home they ‘designated’ for them they could and quite possibly would do so.

In your family’s case it may be a good idea for your wife to speak to the local authority because her daughter is ‘at the age’ where there should be a leaving care plan in place (and/or in development) and she should have a personal adviser. 'Coming home' to her mother, could be a part of a leaving care plan. Here is a link to our advice sheet about Leaving Care.

If your wife’s daughter feels as though her wishes and feelings are not being heard, an advocate might help. Coram Voice or the National Youth Advocacy Service may offer advocacy and the Help at Hand programme offered through the Children’s Commissioner’s for England may be useful too.

I hope this response is helpful.

Best wishes
Suzie

[Wayhar85]

Thanks for your reply and the advise links to look into.