Social services not adhering to the CPP

[CDSFD2]

Social services become involved as my partner was on the SOR for IIOC and his probation officer raised concerns for the children. I've always known about my partners history so was aware of everything. When the social worker first come out and I told her I was aware of everything but was also aware of the changes he had made to better his life she was shocked and said many many statements such as "nothing would ever make me stay with a man like that" good time to chuck in we have 3 children together and I'm pregnant with our 4th. Social services asked him to move out so they could conduct a section 47 which he did and has unfortunately had to move back to his family which live almost 2 hours away. Social services said I am unable to supervise contact until I completed a protective parenting assessment. There was no concerns from the school, the GP or anykne else. Police examined partners phone again and concluded nothing illegal was done and all was fine but social services decided to take it to conference where the children were all placed on a Child protection plan. That was on the 19th December. I was told social services would be doing my assessment with me snd would be seeing the children every 10 days. She was then supposed to come to see me on the Monday after at 10 o'clock but at 5 too 10 she phoned me too cancel. Then it was the Christmas period so I accepted we'd not be seeing anyone. She was them supposed to come out to see me and the children on the 8th January but again cancelled last minute. Then on the 13th she asked if I was able to go into her office to see her which I did and she told me she was leaving 4 days after and I would be getting assigned a new social worker. She then see my older children at school a few days later and told them she was leaving and that has been the last contact we've had. We've had no contact with a new social worker. Noone has got in touch j have spoken to my children's school and my partner has raised the concerns with his probation officer who has also been trying to get in contact to find out what's happening but we just have no clue. I was never given any other number to ring for a manager or anyone so I'd have no clue where to start trying to find out. We're due to go back to conference in 4 weeks but we've not seen anyone for anything to change, we also never received a copy of the conference like we was told. I did tell tbe social worker this she said she would email it over but never did. I'm just concerned that this will all look bad on us at the next conference? We just want to know what's happening, we want a plan set in place and the children are desperate to see their dad again but I don't kmow what to do. Does anyone have any advice?

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear CDSFD2

Welcome to the parents’ discussion board. Thank you for your post. My name is Suzie. I am Family Rights Group’s online adviser. I am sorry to hear about the difficult situation you and your family are in.

Congratulations on your pregnancy too although I know it is also a stressful time.

You explain that your children have a child protection plan in place. The plan was made at a multi-agency conference in December. The concern is that your partner is a registered sex offender and may pose a risk of harm to your children. Children’s services also want to ensure that as a non-offending partner you have insight into risks and how to safeguard your children.

Children’s services will need to do a pre-birth assessment of your unborn baby’s needs too – the timing of this will depend on how advanced your pregnancy is. Please see here for more information about pre-birth assessments.

Your partner is currently living outside the family home, 2 hours away, due to the concerns. Children’s services have asked him to do this so that the children can remain safely at home in your care, while further assessments are carried out. From the information provided, there is no court order in place preventing him from returning but children’s services do not consider it safe now and are likely to escalate matters if you and your partner do not comply.

You are working with the plan, and you are willing to do a protective parenting assessment so that hopefully you will be approved to supervise contact between your partner and the children and so may be able to move forward as a family. The protective parenting assessment will consider how able and willing you are to protect your children by understanding and reflecting on any risk that your partner’s offending could pose to them. It may also identify any support that you may need.

You don’t say what arrangements have been made for your partner to have supervised contact at present while you are awaiting an assessment to see if you can do this. He can put forward details of family members or friends who are willing to do this and to be assessed by children’s services as suitable.

Since the child protection plan was made, you have had limited contact with the social worker who has now left. You are unhappy at comments she made to you which were dismissive of your views, and which may have felt quite personal. You have not been given any contact details for the new social worker and don’t have the manager’s details. The manager may have attended the conference and signed off the social worker’s report so you may be able to find their details there. But if you cannot find them, I would suggest that you ring the main contact number for children’s social care in your area, provide the children’s details and ask for the contact details of the new social worker and their manager (or the duty social worker if no-one is available) and to be put through to them or request an urgent call back.

I understand that this lack of contact is frustrating, and you are worried about the lack of progress. The most important thing at present is finding out when your protective parenting assessment will begin as this is crucial.

There should have been a core group meeting within 10 working days of the conference and then every six weeks. It doesn’t sound as if this has happened. So, you are right to want to discuss matters urgently with either the social worker or their manager. You have a right to a copy of the conference minutes which unfortunately the social worker did not send before she left. So, you can remind the new social worker/the manager that you are still waiting, or you could contact the Chair of the conference to inform them.

The next conference will be a review which must take place within three months of the initial meeting so as you say will be next month, in March. It is unusual for a child protection plan to end at the first review as it is difficult for parents to show significant change in a short timescale. However, you are right to flag the need for the plan to be fully developed and progressing. You are only responsible for your part of the plan, the social worker and other professionals are responsible for theirs. You may find these tips for preparing for a child protection conference helpful.

If you feel that you need to make a complaint, then please see this advice on how to do so. However, the child protection plan will continue even if there is an ongoing complaint as it does not detract from the concerns for the children.

It is important that you continue to comply with the plan as should your partner. He has a probation officer so may be doing a programme to address his offending, if not he should enquire from Probation or the Stop it Now charity about what work he can do to lower his level of risk and get any help and support he needs. He can discuss with his GP if he has any health issues or vulnerabilities that are impacting on him too so they can advise further.

I would recommend that you also access specialist advice and support as a mother affected by her partner’s conviction for child sexual images offences. Stop it Now and Talking Forward may be of help to you. Parents’ Protect is also a useful resource to help parents safety plan.

If you have family members who can support you, then you can ask children’s services to arrange a family group conference (FGC) to harness this support and help make a safe family plan. Please see here for more information about FGCs to help you think about whether this would help your family.

I hope this is helpful.

If you would like further advice then please post back on this forum, our webchat , send an advice enquiry form or call our freephone advice line on 0808 8010366, Mon to Fri, 9.30 am to 3.00 pm.

Best wishes

Suzie