Just a vent!

[Ohnowhatevernext]

Argh. I am so fed up with the process!

We have a baby who came to us under EPP/Foster to Adopt. Baby is wonderful. We have the placement order, now awaiting matching panel before we can submit forms for Adoption Application to Court.

But the source of my frustration: baby has a new social worker who took over a few weeks ago. She is diabolical. She appears to have had no handover at all, and has not ever had the inclination to read babies file. She turned up for her first visit knowing absolutely nothing about baby, not even age, medical history, birth family tree, NOTHING. I did my best to fill her in, but she is meant to be the babies advocate!! Surely she should have come prepared???

Then at this week's LAC review, She appeared to have forgotten everything I told her anyway! Didn't know any basic information about what had or hadn't been done. She says her workload is too high, and she has a lot of annual leave to use up so she won't be able to work on our case (i.e. complete adoption application paperwork) for several months.

Basically has left me feeling so upset. Not only that she is delaying the process which is painful enough, but also that my baby deserves a social worker who actually cares about their wellbeing and can advocate for them.

Just needed to get that off my chest! Argh.

I know you’re venting and I know it’s frustrating but that new social worker will have walked in to a case load of 25+ children all at various points in the child protection system. Of that case load the vast majority will be actively at risk, and she will also be part of a duty rota working with families in acute crisis. Of all her cases she knows your child is safe, which won’t be the case for most of the others, such is the state of social work at the moment.

I know of social workers 3 months out of university carrying case loads of 25+, these are workers who should have a protected case load for their first year, one worker I know had to accommodate children in her first week on the job. Another is regularly working a 50+ hour week.

Your baby is safe, and yes the process is being delayed and that’s very hard, but that is probably one of the few things in her case load that isn’t on fire right now. Your baby does deserve a worker who cares about her, and I have no doubt this new social worker does care - you literally can’t do this job if you don’t care, it’s too hard otherwise - but she also needs to prioritise and a baby in a safe, loving environment simply won’t be at the top of her list.

It shouldn’t be that way, but services have been cut to the bone, social workers are leaving practice facing posts in their droves and thresholds for intervention are so high it’s unbelievable. You and your baby deserve better, so do practicing social workers.

I’m so sorry that you’ve been put in this situation. You are completely right to vent. Your social worker is paid to represent the best interests of the child. Can you raise a formal complaint?

All too often the adoption industry sees adoption as a way of washing its hands of its responsibilities to support the children
they purport to support. Adopters are left unsupported and children not getting the support they need

Very regular poster here but have NC for this.

I understand how frustrated you are @Ohnowhatevernext . However I agree with everything that @Jellycatspyjamas has written.

The SW has clearly not been able to take their A/L and they are entitled to time off and need a break. They have been thrown in at the deep end.

It is very true that children in pre adoptive placements, EPP are going to be at the bottom.of any SW's caseload. These children are safe.. The SW's need to prioritize on the children who they need to get out of the family home and ensure that they dont go back.

If SW's had had a smaller caseload and weren't so neck deep in things then my child and her siblings may well have been Removed before one of them was nearly killed by birth parents.

Honestly the best thing you can do is smile and nod whilst gently pushing them. SW's do not like being told what to do. It's really important to not get on their wrong side and build a good working relationship. Things are soooo much easier then.

As soon as the AO is in place you can wave goodbye to the SW's and get on with your life.

@Ohnowhatevernext I am in no way trying to minimise what you are going through. I have just learnt a hell of a lot after the very very very stressful 2 years between Intros and the AO.

After the AO my body collapsed after all the stress and it took 6 months to get back to a state of functioning.