Wanting CAF to close but scared of repercussions

[blueplain]

Hello all

As some of you might know I have had intervention for almost 5 years. I am now on CAF which I know is a voluntary level, as is child in need. Since my intervention has been so long I really want to move on independantly and put all the stress and meetings behind me. I appreciate that CAF and the team of proffesionals can support my family and help organise all my families needs. However the meetings still cover observations and concerns and it feels a lot like intervention. I do not want to be reminded of the whole ordeal continuously and I am sick of these meetings. We just want to be independant now and manage our family independantly. I have put in a complaint about the CAF being too negative and making me feel on trial and they have said they will make sure the tone of the meeting will change. However I just want to tell them that enough is enough and we need to move on from it for the sake of our sanity at least. My wife runs herself to the group to make sure there are no concerns. Worried that someday we could get a social worker again. We have had a very bad experience with our intervention and the proffesionals do not seem to realise or understand the stress it causses.

I am just worried that in asking the CAF to close that any of the proffesionals might ring in a concern and instigate another core assessment having us going through the ring again.

Am I being too cautious? Would there be implications for asking a CAF to end? I am confident I can make the phone calls and arrangements for our family needs moving into the future.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Blueplain

As you may well be aware, a CAF is voluntary, and you are not obliged to engage in this process.

Providing you have and would continue to utilise any support that may be required to ensure that your children's developmental needs will be met, or not putting your child at risk, and you can evidence that, you are fully within your rights to inform the case holder (be it Children's Services or otherwise) that you do not feel it is in your children's best interests to continue with it on the grounds that you suggest.

You may wish to put your views in writing and inform them in advance of the next meeting however.

Please refer to our family support advice sheet for more information.

I hope this helps.

Best Wishes

Suzie