Literally worried sick :'(

Lieja

Is your daughter renting from the council or LHA? If she is then it might be worth a call to their safeguarding team, so they could visit and hopefully make a referral too?

Surely more referrals means they'll take the situation more seriously?

candlelight_2013

This is so dreadful I had no idea when asked for help SS can behave like this. When a child is involved surely time is of the essence.

Here in the West Midlands we have had some horrendous cases, several resulting in deaths and our SS have had a roasting over this. I know I probably sound very naive, but surely the safety of a child is paramount and how can they assess this if either they are just making a 'phone call or making an appointment to call at the home.

OP I hope there is a good outcome to this. I know if it was my grandchild I would be beside myself with worry.

You have had some really good advice here, and thankfully the police are now involved, I hope they follow it through.

Candlelightx

georgie262

I'm sorry to hear this. I do know that anonymous calls to Social Care HAVE to be investigated so perhaps a couple of these would help? I know they are not necessarily truthful but the "I am a concerned neighbour and I have seen X, Y and Z going on" might help. I have known of safeguarding teams in schools having to resort to this in the past.

hazyjo

Push the drugs side of this (unless it's a bit of waccy baccy we're talking). If harder stuff (coke/crack/heroin, etc), I would be VERY surprised if your daughter wasn't taking something too (unless their arguments are all about his drug taking). My BF had a coke addiction and it caused absolutely mental arguments. I don't know how I stayed with him - I did everything in my power to keep him away from certain people but it didn't work. (We don't argue at all now - he's been absolutely 100% clean for 14 months since we moved house.)

Anyone know what the rules are regarding drug-taking and care of children? Can kids be taken away if tests for any Class A drugs come back positive? Can they be forced to take tests?

Jx

alias*alibi

Alikay wrote: »

It might help to put your concerns in an email to the duty team at Social Services childrens dept, maybe copying in the director of childrens services, or police child protection dept. Try and use concise points and examples to indicate your specific concerns rather than a rambling essay and clearly state the reasons why you consider the baby to be at risk of harm. Your computer will keep a copy and they'll have an incriminating "paper trail" if things did escalate later, so they'll want to cover their backsides and follow up on your concerns.

Make sure in the email that you let them know you'd like the baby placed with yourselves if they decide to remove her from her parents care and give full contact details. Follow up with a phonecall within a few hours and don't let them fob you off until they've been and visited the family.

Children have died or been seriously harmed in situations like these which is why millions gets spent on safeguarding measures. You're not being a fussy interfering granny - this is a serious child protection issue.

The problem with grandparents is that they don't hold PR. It's incredibly difficult for social care workers to discuss cases with grandparents because of confidentiality reasons. Plus for grandparents to get custody they will have to go through a court process for special guardianship. Complaints made by anybody who doesn't hold PR is also tricky because of confidentiality.

alias*alibi

determined_new_ms wrote: »

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if SS have decided to do nothing then that's what they'll do. I have a granddaughter who I have had concerns for since she was born (she's 11 months now). I tried to raise them generally. Then things escalated and I made 2 reports, one to SS directly, which they followed up with a phone call a week later and one via NSPCC. In the end it got turned on to me and I was accused of lying & trying to manipulate the situation to get custody of my dgd. Reports back from my dd that they often say negative things about me to her. I was at a meeting and they were actively giving my dd inaccurate information about housing, my field and when I tried to advise of what the situation really was they were borderline hostile to me.

I wrote a letter of complaint as advised by the NSPCC and got a letter back saying they couldn't discuss the case with me.

Months on now other people are raising concerns, and they are starting to see that there are reasons to be involved.

It has been such a long and worrying period. I really wish you the best. Look after yourself through this x

ETA I only read the 1st page, now can see you've moved this forward.

This is correct on the grounds of confidentiality because you do not hold PR for your granddaughter.

alias*alibi

georgie262 wrote: »

I'm sorry to hear this. I do know that anonymous calls to Social Care HAVE to be investigated so perhaps a couple of these would help? I know they are not necessarily truthful but the "I am a concerned neighbour and I have seen X, Y and Z going on" might help. I have known of safeguarding teams in schools having to resort to this in the past.

I'm afraid they don't! Social care have thresholds that they work to and if they deem it doesn't meet their threshold the case can be closed NFA.

grey_lady

We have only heard the OP's side of the story here. The professionals at social services and the police have deemed the child to be ok.

Let's trust them to do their job.