Updates From Social Worker Between Contacts

[charmed1]

Hi everyone. I have read a recent post by "cousin in care" about calling children in foster care. I would dearly love to have this opportunity but it has never been discussed. With that in mind I need to ask what information a social worker is permitted to disclose about our children's progress/activities between contacts? At our last LAC review the reviewing officer requested that the social worker update us each week about how they were doing between contact sessions. She has done this quite rightly in the intervening weeks thus far. Today she emailed me and I replied asking how my son and daughter were and about two activities they were doing at school. She responded by saying she was not in a position to answer as it would require too much detail. Why has it been requested that I keep in contact with her, especially as we only see them once a month now, only for her to state she isn't in a position to give that information? I miss my kids like crazy and just wanted to find out how things went about stuff I already knew about. It is no more than I would ask the carers if I saw them or in the contact book.

[frustrated mum]

Could i ask how old are your children that are in care? I totally understand where you are coming from regarding information about your children . If any help i will explain how information gets past on to me. My daughters both in foster care but are 16 and nearly 15 . Sharing of information was brought up at both their care planning meetings. As i have PR school were to inform me of any major happenings admitted there were teething problems on a grand scale but thats another story!
My eldests daughters then carer was to send me an report emailed to me at the end of each month. I do also have contact via whatsapp with both of my daughters.
My eldests placement broke down and she moved in with her younger sister. The carer phones me once a week to say whats going on or she just sends me a txt. I have contact every week around work.
My daughters wanted to speak to their grandad so i sent an request to the carer with his phone number and she let them call him.
They have contact numbers for all extended family members and call them when they want. They are lucky.
The social worker is that difficult that we now bypass her but in our case as the girls are over a certain age its up to them.
All i can say and sorry for going on abit.
Make sure any plans made for any sort of contact or information sharing is in black and white. Log all incidents of not been informed , at the end of the day its what your children want too. Sorry if ive gone abit off track. It you and your children tell them what you want and what you expect off ss they have to deliever in their own special way!

[charmed1]

Hi frustrated mum. Thank you for your reply. My children are son 4 and daughter 6. Our 6 year old daughter has special needs (global development delay and very limited speech). From the moment they were removed in May right up until the final hearing in December no one visited us at all, except the guardian to do her report. Updates were recorded in a "contact book" which the carers wrote in and we read at contact (LAC reviewing officer wanted this in place) . Our kids are too little to be able to tell us what they have been doing, etc. so the carers write about illness, trips out, behaviour and things. That was good when we saw them every week/fortnight. Now it's down to once a month as they have their placement order and until end of June to find potential adopters. It's no good now as won't see them for so long.

The LAC reviewing officer (at the last review in January) told the key social worker that she must update us every week on the children's progress during the weeks we don't have contact. She did this half term week and I asked her yesterday only to get the reply I did. I asked two specific questions as follow up to what I knew they were currently doing at school. In 3 weeks time it would be historic and no one will likely to remember. No harm I thought.

The wedge in place to prepare them for permanent separation that may or may not happen. Even if they are adopted the Judge states twice a year direct contact with us. Our kids are young enough to be spoken for and kept away from any contact other than when we see them face to face, once a month for an hour. No contact with foster carers other than at PEP and LAC reviews. Now it appears the social worker again either.