I’m a Child Protection social worker AMA

[Lupinslupinelady]

I won’t be breaching any confidentiality...

Great thread! I'm a secondary school safeguarding lead, but interested in social work.

If there was one thing (or more!) that you'd tell someone considering applying, what would it be?

@Powerless and @Lupinslupinelady I hope you don't mind me replying.
I just wanted to debunk this myth and be clear that no a child's ethnicity etc has no impact on whether they are removed.
There is no shortage of children in care and even if there was there is no desire or motivation to increase this if children can be cared for safely with their parents and/or families. The threshold of whether or not it is safe is the same for all children and is a decision that is ultimately made by the courts not SS

Totally right, twinmummawingingit. It is the Court which determines whether threshold is met to remove children, not some random attractivess test. The ‘respectable source’ is totally false but such myths can be very damaging. Another one is that we get a bonus for removing children - also so false.

And great to meet you twinmummaandwingingit - I wonder if we’ve met IRL!

ASauvingnonADay, it is no easy option and very hard work with very high standards (wherever some people might think). But it is also fascinating. Can’t deny it is hard to juggle with family life...

Movinonup, I’m afraid I really don’t know as not something I’ve encountered. Maybe try Citizens Advice Bureau?

NoRunAround, no I haven’t as I don’t work in Disabilities and I hope it wouldn’t happen but sadly there is some rubbish practice out there so please pursue a complaint or legal/ specialist advice if it happens to you.

Thighofrelief, I do but only raise it with a parent if it seems to be impacting on the welfare of the child/ children. We know that some parents clean like crazy before a social work visit and try to reassure that them it isn’t necessary. I make a special point of this where there are mental health issues, new babies, toddlers as that is hard enough without worrying about Clean Police checking for dust.

How old do LAAC young people need to be before they can contact family members? Will they get their records etc at a certain age?
The reason I ask as my niece and nephew were taken in to care and I tried numerous times to get kinship care but wasn't successful I have 'post box' contact but the letters are strictly monitored and social work don't tell me much as it's against data protection. I want them to see how hard I tried and to come to me when they are old enough x

Yes I know it's the courts who decide yes or no, but it is social services who decide whether to apply to court for an order or not, right?

Step children live with me and their dad. Their mum has had a partner since march...her child is in long term foster care and social services said they cannot tell us why. (Not even just the children are/aren't safe if they go round) What can we do to ensure that children are not at risk if this woman is not forthcoming with the reasons why?

Are you held accountable by the court if you mishandle a case or don't follow proper procedures?

Are you and your colleagues aware of / worried about the safeguarding issues presented by Sex Self ID?

Sorry for silence - busy week at work...
Powerless, yes of course the Court application comes from us but we don’t want to look unprofessional by making applications which don’t meet threshold and more than that, it wouldn’t be fair to the families. And the work and distress which goes into the process of removing children means that we avoid it unless it is the only way.

Shednik, yes we would be and social workers are sometimes hugely criticised by the Judge in care proceedings though it hasn’t happened to me. It should be the managers and lawyers who are held accountable as the social worker represents the Local Authority as a whole.

DC18, it varies depending on the circumstances. Have you tried contacting their social worker? Definitely at 18 and they have the right to see their records. Your niece and nephew will know how much your care from your letters through letterbox contact and from reading their records about your applications to care for them.

Ava1988, that’s a really tricky one. Their dad has PR so he needs to be the one who tells Children’s Services that he needs to know to keep his children safe and not because he is just being nosey. Sounds silly but they need to know the distinction and have a duty not to put all children at risk. They won’t tell you the reason why her child was removed but will maybe indicate whether unsupervised contact is or isn’t safe. Or could their mother find out as she presumably also wants her children to be safe? Your partner could get legal advice about this if he is really worried.

I start a new job next week in children and families! Worked in fostering & mental health teams previously. Any tips/advice?!

Get rested up before you start and enjoy the work. It is a privilege to be trusted with such crucial work. And get a load of art supplies for direct work!

Is there a feedback loop where you find out if you have got a decision horrifically wrong?

For example say you are involved in allegations of violence against the NRP. Tell the family court it's the mum poisoning the kids against dad. Do you ever find out about the multiple subsequent abuse reports from multiple agencies inc hospital reported injuries?

Thank you for doing the difficult and often thankless job that you do.

Do you get any support through work around vicarious traumatisation, compassion fatigue, care for the carer, that kind of thing?

Yes, if the child were referred to us again and if there was a Serious Case Review which mercifully I’ve never been involved in but I know people who have. But Child Protection social workers don’t primarily get involved in private proceedings with separated parents - that is Cafcass. We only get involved if it is already open to us for a safeguarding reason or was recently.

Thanks NoodleEatingPoodle! We do get suppprt through supervision and can access counselling though don’t think there is really enough support in general. Ultimately, you have to be pretty tough but it can be hard to keep on being brave when also overworked and demonised... And there is the constant worry that you might have missed something/ got it wrong due to getting too used to horrible situations which is the hardest bit.

I would like to ask how you keep going. I had a friend who left sw because of the pressures and stress of what she saw and felt wasnt acted on. In scrs it always seems the social worker gets a large proportion of blame and yet given case load numbers they seem easy targets

I'd love to think the socialist workers who made my kids life hell knew what they did. I'd love to tel them to their face

But given SS ignored several reports after, as it didn't meet their criteria, I very much doubt they have a clue.

It never made it to serious review cos ultimately it was considered a "civil matter" and "mum was safeguarding". In other words they opted out at the final hurdle too.

But he was very charming.

It will be a cold day in hell I ever trust a SW

If a young care leaver is pregnant and sofa - surfing, maybe not engaging with antenatal care wholly, is that sufficient cause to remove their child at birth?