Notifying others/Child in Need meetings

[DaisyChain]

I am pregnant with our second child. My husband, 12 yrs ago was convicted and sentenced for possessing indecent images. He remains on the SOR indefinitely due to the 2 yr sentence imposed. He has never been questioned or charged with physical harm toward anyone.
SS were heavily involved when we had our first son. Imposing a sanction for no Intimate Care for the first 6 months of our child's life. This was hard for us both. Intensely difficult as we live hours from family.
After this time we were finally released from SS with a close of case evaluation. All parties, including my Health Visitor and the Police were happy to let us crack with our lives uninterrupted.

This time, our first child is in school and SS once again have stuck their oar in. I am 2 weeks from being full term and it is causing me so much grief. They have spoken with the school and I have spoken with the school also advising they are involved with us. The school have told SS that our child is normal for development, behaviour and is a model child. They see no issues. However someone above my SW has decided that the school should know the ins and outs of my husbands convictions, irrespective of the time lapse. This, to me has disaster written all over it. We've tried so hard to rebuild ou lives. No one outside the family knows. It is not spoken about. We have moved on but the school knowing puts me in a very paranoid state about being judged and more so myself or my husband alienated by school staff.
Apparently we can refuse this child in need meeting but what does that mean for us? My SW is as responsive as a knat. Never returning calls, failing to show up for visits with no prior warning or apology. I chase her and it's me that's made to feel in the wrong.

Will we be penalised for refusing to allow SS to disclose the details of my husbands convictions to the school?

Being heavily pregnant I wanted this over and done with, not lingering over like a black cloud. Everyone expects me to be the strong one but this is tearing me to shreds.

Thanks in advance for any advice or anecdotes shared.

[Barney]

It is unclear from your post if Social Workers have been involved with your family continuously since your first child's birth or if some other event has brought them back into your life ?

I would advise you to cooperate with CS and accept that they will inform the school and other agencies if they feel the need, they may have already contacted your midwife and the hospital etc, your Husband is a registered sex offender and the terms of this order will probably state somewhere about informing agencies and information sharing. If you want to retain any control over how this information is shared I would tell the school and anybody else you feel is important.

[DaisyChain]

Me expecting another child is what has brought SS back to bother us.

As you can see from my post, the Police, School and my Health visitor have already been made aware. With the School only being notified in the last few months. All other parties were happy with the assessment SS completed after the birth of our first child. This is why the case was closed back then.

I have received my Case Workers assessment for us. She is happy to close. However it is someone above her who now disagrees. We were all ready and prepared, after receiving the assessment a month ago and speaking with our CW to put closure on this as there was nothug but positive feedback. It's a huge setback and one I can't deal with at this stage in pregnancy. We were assured by SS that it would all be dealt with months ago.

Telling the school that my husband possessed images over 15 yrs ago and was convicted 12 yrs ago makes me feel very uneasy. My child's direct education provider is more than happy with him. Why does she need to know the finer details? It's such a delicate issue and people are incredibly fickle when they hear the words 'indecent image's. My husband feels he'll be left feeling watched intensely on the school run.. Not exactly part of the moving on with your life plan.

[DaisyChain]

In my original post this was a bit of hint for your question..

"After this time we were finally released from SS with a close of case evaluation. All parties, including my Health Visitor and the Police were happy to let us crack with our lives uninterrupted"

[ange301126]

Dear DaisyChain, When you were seen by the GP to be expecting, it will have been on his file that he had to inform the CS . It was his duty.

Clearly, the CS failed to contact the GP as would have been fitting to remove the note from his file.Therefore you will go through the same ordeal everytime you are with child UNLESS you address the problem once this lot is sorted.The CS should write to the GP and withdraw the standing instruction they previously issued.If they won't complain to your local Director of Communities and People whose address is available to you on this website.

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear DaisyChain,

Welcome to the parents forum.

I am sorry to hear about children services being involved with your family again. I am glad that the social worker decided that there was no need to carry out a child protection investigation- she could find no evidence that your unborn baby was at risk of suffering significant harm.

Instead, she had decided that a child in need is to be offered to you, which as you say, is not compulsory.
Although you are willing to cooperate with children services you feel that disclosing details of your husband’s convictions is not warranted.
I suggest that you or your husband write or email the social worker and the manager who has made this decision. You could explain:
• That you cooperated with the assessment and that there is no child protection concerns
• That you are glad that they have approached you about a possible disclosure of personal information –which they need to do under the Data Protection Act 1998;
• That you do not consent to this information being disclosed to the school.
• If they want to continue with the disclosure you will seek urgent legal advice from the Informationcommissioner

You could also challenge the decision via the
children services complaints .
.
I hope this helps but if you need further advice please post again or contact our advice line for further advice.

Best wishes,

Suzie