Discharge Hearing Issues At Last Minute

[avoneagle]

Hi,

I am looking for some advice in relation to discharge of cate order.

August last year my 16 year old daughter was subjected to a full care order with there being a shared care arrangement between parents and local authority residential home as my daughter has serious mental health and attachment issues which they said we could not cope along with the other 6 children in our care. For clarification non of other children are subjected to LA involvement.

In Feb 2024 my daughter made an allegation that she had her bum touched by a senior member of staff at residential home which caused her a great deal of distress. Cut long story short I held a meeting with LA as my daughter returned home and refused to return to residential care. I recorded the meeting to which local authority admitted that the member of staff had made a full addmitance of guilt in relation to inappropriate touching and that they had dealt with it through there own disaplinary process which the staff member was given a warning. My daughter refused to return at risk of being put in contact with this member of staff.

Our daughter has remained in are care since Feb with no issues as previous she had a tendency to self harm and ingest medication and becomes extremely dysregulated. My daughter in April appointed a solicitor to make an application to discharge the care order. The local authority agreed and supported the discharge along with child's guardian. I was going to apply for legal aid but was advised by solicitor since it's mutual agreement and there are no issues to contest then I was unlikely to be granted legal aid.

On Friday 30th Aug social worker came here late afternoon to drop off paperwork along with local authorities position. In this they say there have been significant changes since returning to parents care and that basically not same child that entered the care system. They do then state the incident that caused her to return home and refuse to go back to residential was because she had made an allegation and that she felt bad about this allegation and didn't want to return. As said above this allegation was inappropriate touching by senior staff member that was admitted and dealt with by local.authority apprent disaplinary process. It paints my daughter out to be a liar to anyone reading it. I did months ago send local authority the covert recording with them admitting everything they threatened me with an injunction should I post it or give to anyone else. Also in there position want the court to discharge the care order but allow them to remain in her life up till 25 years of age to provide support. We were not aware of this plan until they dropped off paperwork nor have they discussed this with us or my daughter. My daughter hates the local authority for not sticking up for her when she was inappropriately touched she feels they didn't do anything to stop that member of staff coming into contact with her and accuses them of having to leave the residential home she was settled at. Everytime local authority comes here she becomes extremely dysregulated screams foul insults at them and only becomes regulated again once they gone.

Both myself and wife feel that they have waited last.minute to give us there position statements and documents they have led us to believe it was going to be a straight forward discharge right upto last minute. My daughter this evening has sent messages to her solicitor expressing her extreme dissatisfaction that local authority will still be in her life and has made very clear she will continue to be abusive to them.

As parents we understand why local authority want to remain in life for support which is good can't be slated. As parents are issue is that when local authority stay away things go from strength to strength my daughter gets on with her life best she can as soon as local authority is mentioned or wants to visit she becomes as said above extremely dysregulated and abusive by them forcing themselves in her life against her will is breach of her human rights. We are now about shafted as discharge hearing tomorrow afternoon and don't know what to do. Surely it cannot continue and this now becomes contested? I am in need of seeking legal advice due to local authorities skullduggery and sly behaviour in relation to last minute serving papers which goes against everything we believed was going to happen. Sorry for such long post
Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear avoneagle,

Please see the private message I have sent to you.

Kind Regards,

Suzie