Social Services - Can't work, can't claim

Morglin

goodlife wrote: »

i totally understand the need for being cautious.

Nspcc advised to complain about social workers and police for insisting it was illegal for my daughter to be home on her own. They are of the opinion this is not the law at all, and suggested i make the complaints so they are logged so to speak (not sure if that is the right word).

Social workers visits occur between every one and four weeks, coupled with core meetings once a week and we had to have some family support assessment done so we did go through a phase of probably one a week. That was a particularly bad patch however, it's not always that bad. Just as an aside, the family support worker had to come out as part of the care plan, she came twice: first time we had a chat and i gave her background on the situation, second time, she said she didn't really know what to do as she couldn't see a problem or why she was supposed to be there. she hasn't been seen since.

Leading questions v independence. hmm. i take your point to an extent, but my daughter is very articulate and when she answers a question, there is a limit to how many times someone can say 'but surely that can't be the case', 'but surely you must think that ...' 'but i think that you must feel ...', without it becoming trying to coerce her. I would have thought so anyway, perhaps i'm wrong on this?


Have been asking for flexibility in meetings to fit around work since january, all i get is a blanket - these are the hours we are allowed to work, i can't help you.


About to be hounded out of my job, due to the amount of money i'm costing the company when I have to take time off at short notice.

My daughter was on a 50% scholarship at a very good girls school, she left due to being bullied badly.

It might be a good idea to contact the director of the social services dealing with your daughter and request, in writing, a meeting with you and all the professionals involved with your daughter's protection plan, as it is fairly obvious that communication has broken down.

Advise the director that you intending to take the matter further, and that there needs to be discussion.

If it's arranged then take a friend, a legal rep or your partner with you. Any meeting should be minuted and then at least you will be able to see what their concerns are and you can address them.

The agenda of social services is to keep your daughter safe and happy, yours presumably is the same and her needs ought to be considered over and above the rest.

Meanwhile, contact the DWP to find out what you should be claiming under these circumstances.

Lin

Marisco

bestpud wrote: »

In this case, there is clearly a third person involved and they are concerned this person still has access to the girl. It apparently began with a media article about the girl, so goodness only knows what has happened altogether!

That is who they were searching for last week, it seems, and they are clearly worried she is at risk while her mother leaves her alone all day.

Reading the thread, this is exactly what I thought!!

ETA, if this is the case, then I would stay home day and night to keep her safe, and sod the money!!!

NMSE12

Have you spoken with family support? Is there a friend or relative who can sit with your daughter whilst you are working? I don't feel you have explored all your options. I understand you need to be secure financially but you have a child on an at risk register, Social services are dealing witht his seriously from what you have written and i think yuo need to be focusing on that! Speak to CAB to see if you coould maybe claim as a carer whilst you are not working??? I don't know exactly how benifits work! Your main concern needs to be her!

kingfisherblue

Without going into the ins and outs of the thread, the OP would be unable to claim income support as she has a partner that works, or JSA as she is not seeking work. Maybe the best thing to do would be to try to cut costs wherever possible, or take on a job that allows the OP to stay at home with her daughter during the day and work at night when her partner is there to care for the child. Whatever the OP decides, the safety of her daughter (and SS satisfaction that she is safe) is paramount.

Morglin

I think, without knowing WHO is the supposed risk to this girl, it's impossible to say who should be doing what and when, and who this teenager can be left with.

The best thing the OP can do is to try and get a 'working partnership' going with social services, before her baby is born and there are more issues, and to contact the DWP, explain the whole situation, in confidence, and to see what she can claim.

It's impossible to give forum advice, in these circumstances.

Lin