Posting here - LA objecting

[Darlinglittleone]

Hi

Our old LA has just had a great big go at us over posting on here! Apparently someone put two together and made Five. although I do not think I have breached any rule, Be warned

I hear a few LA are commenting on this at present.

Where are we meant to get advice??

[Panadbois]

oh bugger.

As long as we're vague, what can they do?

[Roshbegosh]

Let them focus on doing their jobs properly and stop making demands of us while being rubbish their end. If they offered support we wouldn't need to MN.

[Thumbwitch]

What can they do about it though?

[lovesmileandlaugh]

How would they know it was you?

If you are identifying yourself on a public forum, I agree that wouldn't be appropriate, but I don't remember seeing any identifiable posts from anyone!

[NanaNina]

As most MNs know I am a retired social worker and Fostering & Adoption team manager (30 years in all)

As all of you will know confidentiality is of great importance. However I have been coming on the fostering thread for some considerable time and I have never yet seen any foster carer break any rules of confidentiality. On the contrary they all make sure that they don't identify anyone by name or which LA they foster for. I have offered help and support for MNs who are often totally confused about what is going on as the social workers don't explain matters to f-cs.

I usually invite F-Cs to PM me if they need to give more details, and they do this, so that this confidential information is not in the public domain. I do always ask that when PMing they FCs don't disclose names of children involved.

I don't see any reason whatsoever why FCs shouldn't use this forum and I think the LA concerned are on some sort of witch-hunt! As someone has said how on earth would a sw know who was posting about what, as we use nicknames for the very purpose of anonymity.

Just in defence of social workers, there is a national shortage and since the budget cuts the vacant posts are "frozen" in the sense that the LA can't recruit to these posts because they can't afford to pay social workers. I blame the coalition for this. They are slashing the budgets of all public services and expecting improved performances - can't be done.

Of course there will be sws who vary ( some are highly competent, some average and some woefully inadequate and should be in a different job) but I think this is probably true for all sorts of occupations.

NO they LA can't do anything to FCs who post on here - there is freedom of speech in this country - it's called democracy. The only thing they could object to would be the identification of children and parents and details of a particular case, which on an open forum would constitute a serious breach of confidentiality.

[Panadbois]

As ever, thanks Nana.
I try not to slag off my SWs, because mostly they have been brill.

However, as much as they would like us to believe, we are not a part of their team. We are the ones sitting on the bench every time with nothing but the same hat.

[happydaze22]

Totally agree with you Panadbois. I have been left feeling a total outsider lately in horrible circumstances where my SSW is so intent in just keeping her job, that she has become almost robotic in informing me of the decisions that are being made that I am now having to deal with. She has admitted she doesnt agree with some of the things shes had to inform me of but also that she wont be telling her manager that ! Talking to other FC's in my area theyre now being treated the same way. Its such a shame, we come into this work because we want to make a difference to the life that some children/ young people have yet all too often we end up feeling like public enemy no. 1 when we advocate for those kids (as we're encouraged to do in all of our training). Team ??? If Sw, s were football teams they'd put themselves in the premiership and stick us in the Sunday League.:/

[Roshbegosh]

I know that feeling. Often it hasn't been like that and it feels more of a collaboration now but there were a few months earlier this year that we were just the LA's bitch.