Family Rights Group | Parents’ Forum

Hi, I would like to know if anyone has had there children returned after foster care? How likely is it to happen?

We are on month 9 after court but 18 months without them and I've read different people's stories in how the social workers will argue that they are settled into foster care now and won't accept them back into the parents care, does this really happen?
The social worker told us that they always plan on reunification but not sure to believe that as we have been lied to before.

Thoughts and stories welcome

Dear poundedskate7

Welcome back to the parents‘ discussion board. Thank you for your further post.

You would like to hear from parents who have either successfully had their children returned home from care or have experience of requesting reunification. I hope that parents will respond to you with their advice and experiences.

It is not possible to comment on the likelihood of children returning home. This will depend on the children’s welfare and individual circumstances and on the parents’ situation. A care order lasts until children are 18 unless ended sooner. It is correct that children’s services must consider if the care plan continues to be in the children’s best interests or whether reunification is best for them. I provided advice about this in my last response. I hope it was helpful. As the court made the care order only 9 months ago it may be difficult for you to show that you have made significant changes in this timescale.

It is a good idea to try to work closely with children’s services including the children’s Independent Reviewing Officer so that you are as involved and informed as possible and to make sure that you are having the best family time you can have with your children. I know that this can be hard. Please see our guide to working with a social worker as it has practical advice on how to do so.

I hope this helps.

Best wishes

Suzie

Hi, well I'm the 9 month we have done the Solihull parenting course that they requested and the other parenting course they have failed to set up since March , obviously these are the only 2 courses they asked us to do before getting reassessed, it's also very hard to prove you've "changed" when you can't put into practice the practical side of parenting from the courses.

Since court the police said no evidence of any crimes so we are hopefully that will boost are hopes of reunification especially as we were failed in the previous assessment and never did a full court hearing as given the wrong advice at the time regarding findings.

Dear poundedskate7

Thank you for your further post.

You have not asked a specific question but have set out the courses you have done since the court hearing. This would be evidence of you being proactive to improve your parenting to address the concerns raised by children’s services.

It is good that the police are taking no further action as stated in your post as there is no evidence of any crimes.
Children’s services may take the view that the police taking no further action does not mean they should have no concerns. They may think that the police had insufficient evidence to bring a successful prosecution to meet the criminal test of beyond reasonable doubt. The civil test is on the balance of probabilities which suggests that something is more likely to have occurred that not. I am explaining this difference in the criminal and civil test to give you an idea of how children’s service may respond to no further action by the police. It does not mean that it will not be considered when assessing you and your partner regarding possible reunification.

You can post again if you have any questions. Alternatively, you may wish to speak with an adviser and, if so, you can telephone our advice line on 0808 801 0366. The advice line is open from 9.30am to 3.00pm Monday to Friday (excluding Bank Holidays).

Hope this is useful.

Best wishes

Suzie

The police letter ticked the box for no evidence, not there is evidence but it's not in the public interest to charge or any of the other category's so I think that rules out the social worker thinking of future risk, I think that's to unfair to hold something against someone when nothing as happened that our eldest daughter as said, no other child we raised concerns and wish to return home.

Our issue is what can we do about them withholding the last parenting course through early help, we have been waiting for 6 months, even my solicitor can't get a reply .

Dear poundedskate7

Thanks for your post.

I am sorry to hear that you are not able to access the parenting course you mention. It is not helpful if your solicitor has not been able to get a reply. You could ask your solicitor to formally chase this up with the local authority’s legal team. You can also follow up your query about this in writing with your children’s social worker, their manager and the Independent Reviewing Officer and, if you wish, the Complaints Department.

Best wishes

Suzie

Hi Suzy, I have recently gone through the complaints procedure again because the IRO hasn't given us the meeting notes from the 5th September and the timescale as lapsed, she said she would have it ready for the 20 working days but now it is 3 weeks since then, the complaint through our council haven't got back to me either, probably exhausted that when I put in a complaint earlier then forwarded it to the ombudsman.

Dear poundedskate7

Thanks for posting again. I am sorry you have not received the documents you were promised by the independent reviewing officer (IRO). You mention in your post 20 working days but it has been three weeks.

If you have counted only the working days, then I suggest you send a chase up letter to the IRO. You have been through the complaints process before so if you have still not received a response you could inform the complaints officer that unless you receive a reply by a specific date, you will refer the matter to the local government ombudsman for failure to follow their complaints procedure.Hope this helps.

Best wishes

Suzie

Hi Suzy, Thank you for your response, after which on the same day i spoke to the IRO manager who as said we will receive the meeting notes this coming week.

Now in regards of contact between the children and grandparents, the plan states between 8-12 weeks, they pushed it over 16 weeks after court and now every 12 weeks, which shortens the period during the year, they have just rang them on Friday 25th to cancel for today (26th) am i wrong to think this shouldn't be happening at such short notice? They said one of the children is unavailable but not sure how that affects all of them? there is 4 in care.

As with anything in life it's 50/50.
But you strand a better chance if you have at least lowered the risk of them returning home.

Back story

I had all my children removed due to my mental health, I suffered post partum depression and they removed my children and that led me deeper in to depression. I just could not recover, 4 are in ltfc and 2 were adopted.

I gave birth to my beautiful daughter 7 months ago, they removed from birth with a view for straight to adoption due to my other's being removed, the judge said that they were biased and ordered that I have an independent assessment. It's taken 5 long months , and I didn't think I would pass given my history but my isw called me yesterday to tell me that she is recommending they return my daughter home to me.