Nephew in care....what are my rights?

AimeesMum_2

Hi there,

I am really hoping that someone can help.

My brother's son was taken into care at birth. My brother and his girlfriend have been pretending that they still have him and that everytime we call he is sleeping and they say they are not ready yet to show him off.

My father contacted social work who have confirmed that the baby is in care with the hope of full time foster placement.

It has torn the whole family apart with feuds that are getting out of control.

The baby's Mum is on the Child Protection Register and has 3 kids in care and two who are living with one of the fathers ( I believe 3 seperate fathers are involved). She claims she is on the register as she choose her violent ex over her kids. Does anyone know if this is a reason to be placed on the register? Also is it revisited and someone ever removed from the list? Her youngest is 7 and has been in care since he was 1.

Do I have any rights to see my nephew? I don't want him growing up thinking that his whole family abandoned him - so even if I was able to put some money in a trust fund or something until he was 18...it would at least be something?

Please help xxx

puddy

you dont hold the rights in this case, the child does, so the child has a right to maintain a relationship with his birth family (ie you)

you need to find out the name of the allocated social worker, the child's guardian (CAFCASS) and the childs IRO (independent reviewing officer)

if you are considering being considered as a carer for the child, you need to make yourself known as a potential placement and available to be assessed (this will be quite intrusive)

if you want contact with the child you need to make a noise about it and be considered as part of the child's family. social workers will too easily just consider mum and dad because they dont ahve the time and resources to look at all the extended family but this is v important for a child.

you say his mum is on the child protection register, is she a child? do you mean that her children are subject to a child protection plan?

you need to get enough information to be familiar with all the correct terminology so that you can be aware of plans and decisions concerning your nephew and challenge them if necessary.

AimeesMum_2

Thank you so much Puddy for your response.

Your right, I have no idea of the correct terminology - I believe that her name is on some kind of register that highlighted to the social work that her unborn baby was at risk. This is despite her changing her name by deed poll to something else.

I have made contact with the social worker involved and hopefully she will return my call today.

Is there any organisations out there than can provide advice?

I unfortunately can't provide him with a home as I don't have the room and have two children of my own (3yrs and 6 months) and am not in a position to look after him. My own kids already spend 45 hours a week in childcare due to my work

Thanks again x

ViolaLass

puddy wrote: »

you say his mum is on the child protection register, is she a child? do you mean that her children are subject to a child protection plan?

If the mother is under 18, then it's possible she's subject to a Child Protection Plan (there isn't a register any more but it works much the same way). It's also possible that she was on the register as a child, meaning that Social Services were more inclined to check on her when she got pregnant.

If not, then I assume you mean the children - choosing a violent ex over her children would be a good reason for the children to be made subject to a Plan. Plans are revisited as a matter of course at least every six months and yes, children can be removed from them if the professionals feel that they are no longer 'at significant risk of harm/risk of significant harm'. This can mean that the home situation has been resolved or that the children have, for example, been adopted/settled elsewhere.

clearingout

I get that a child would be considered at risk if mum had chosen a violent partner in the past, but presumably this isn't the case here as she is now with someone else (who presumably isn't violent)? Removing a child at birth (which I think is what has happened?) is really quite a drastic measure, isn't it?

thatgirlsam

If she chose to stay in a violent relationship then yes that is a reason for her children to be on the list

She was failing to protect them I'm afraid

Is your brother going to stay with her?

If he doesn't he may be able to go for custody of the child himself, as long as he protects that child from harm

ViolaLass

clearingout wrote: »

I get that a child would be considered at risk if mum had chosen a violent partner in the past, but presumably this isn't the case here as she is now with someone else (who presumably isn't violent)? Removing a child at birth (which I think is what has happened?) is really quite a drastic measure, isn't it?

I imagine we don't know the full details but having ever chosen a violent partner over your children would make Social Services wary. However, I imagine there's something else as well that has caused them to take the child away at birth - mother not taking it seriously? Partner not taking it seriously? Indications that the partner might be violent? Other issues with mother? Other issues with partner? There are so many possibilities. Lying to the rest of the family (saying that the baby is asleep so they can't visit) won't go down well with professionals as it smacks of not owning up to the situation.

Just to clarify, none of this is what I think, just what I think a Social Worker might think.

AimeesMum_2

What I fail to understand is if she is known to social work for this reason how her ex (the violent one) went on to get two of his children out of care. He is now their sole carer.

My brother has stayed with the woman and as I said before are claiming and still claiming, despite having evidence that shows they don't, that they have the child in their care.

Thanks for all the replies.

AimeesMum_2

She is over 18 (36 yrs old,ish and my brother is 22). I don't know if it was her or the kids who were on the register as it was just something that my Mum told me but we don't know much about this.

Still waiting on a call from social work despite two messages sent...hoping they call soon.

puddy

ViolaLass wrote: »

If the mother is under 18, then it's possible she's subject to a Child Protection Plan (there isn't a register any more but it works much the same way). It's also possible that she was on the register as a child, meaning that Social Services were more inclined to check on her when she got pregnant.

yes, i know, thats why i asked, if she was under 18 she could well be subject to a plan

ViolaLass

puddy wrote: »

yes, i know, thats why i asked, if she was under 18 she could well be subject to a plan

Bad quoting on my part, sorry, I was just carrying on the conversation. I didn't mean to imply that I know more than you or step on any toes.