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Original poster

Any social workers about ? Or anyone with safeguarding knowledge re assessments without parental knowledge?

2 replies

WouldJustlikeaLatte · 09/08/2023 16:04

Are assessments/investigations ever initiated without parental knowledge ?

If so what would the reason be as I assume in the majority of cases parents are informed and part of the process?

Would various professionals just be giving their opinion and maybe some ‘tying up loose ends’ by calling the parents if necessary (Eg a HV calling for updates, GP following up on recent appts etc)

Tia

OP posts:
Duchessofspace · 09/08/2023 16:16

Normally you raise it with the parents and listen to their explanation but if their is risk of immediate and serious harm- for example I know one where suspected sexual abuse had been alleged to have occurred by father to daughter. Neither parent was informed of the allegation the immediate steps were in fact evidence eg bed and forensic evidence etc and parents were interviewed totally separate separately and they didn’t know what about until they were in interview..

I know of one recently (last two years) where parent/s were suspected of tampering with the child in hospital eg child went home became very ill back in hospital recovered well and it cycled a few times. It was suspected that one of the parents of not both was causing the issue. Video cameras were set up and it became quickly obviously that one of the parents was indeed tampering with the medical equipment. Multiple times and it was very very clear. The other parent had no knowledge. In that case the whole investigation was done without either parent being informed. Child is now with one parent and the other parent is awaiting trial.

it totally depends on the situation. A GP might be making a follow up call for example to check all was ok 👌 or as an agreed action

Original poster
WouldJustlikeaLatte · 09/08/2023 16:27

Duchessofspace · 09/08/2023 16:16

Normally you raise it with the parents and listen to their explanation but if their is risk of immediate and serious harm- for example I know one where suspected sexual abuse had been alleged to have occurred by father to daughter. Neither parent was informed of the allegation the immediate steps were in fact evidence eg bed and forensic evidence etc and parents were interviewed totally separate separately and they didn’t know what about until they were in interview..

I know of one recently (last two years) where parent/s were suspected of tampering with the child in hospital eg child went home became very ill back in hospital recovered well and it cycled a few times. It was suspected that one of the parents of not both was causing the issue. Video cameras were set up and it became quickly obviously that one of the parents was indeed tampering with the medical equipment. Multiple times and it was very very clear. The other parent had no knowledge. In that case the whole investigation was done without either parent being informed. Child is now with one parent and the other parent is awaiting trial.

it totally depends on the situation. A GP might be making a follow up call for example to check all was ok 👌 or as an agreed action

Thankyou that’s helpful so I guess they only do preliminary investigations for serious things if they can’t risk the parents knowing

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