What can he do to show he can meet his child's needs

[SplashparkSummer]

Just looking for a bit of help and support.

It seems likely that my nephew's DS who lives with his DM is going to be taken from her care as she is struggling with her mental health. DN would like him put into his care. But he currently only sees him 3 hours per week at a contact centre. How can he show he can meet his needs? Are there specific things SW look out for. His reports from the contact centre are positive. However, SS have only observed once and it was a bad day where nephew struggled to get his DS to stop crying as it turned out he was ill. Based on this he failed his assessment.

Any advice, please?

Why is he only having supervised contact, and is being assessed?

If he is having supervised contact in a centre it’s HIGHLY unlikely they are going to let the child live with him - is there any other family members that could take him in?

Based on my professional experience he wouldn’t get the boy. I’m sorry

This. This isn't normal.

No, there’s more going on behind the scenes than you’ve been told.

Why on earth does he want him in care if he feels he can meet his needs?

There's no way SS will make the leap from supervised contact, and minimal contact at that of its only 3hrs a week, to 24/7 resident status with nothing in between.

Oh, absolutely we're not expecting it to go from seeing him once a week to full contact. There was mention of a baby and father home.

The mother was moved out of area and that is why he sees his DS at a contact centre. Prior to that he saw him in his flat.

He doesn't want him in care. He wants to look after him himself.

He is being assessed as it seemed the mother's mental health was declining. She is in a mother and baby foster placement.

Unfortunately, no. I'd have him in a heart beat but I don't have the space.

Your nephew needs to get legal advice if he hasn't already and he and his solicitor should be able to access all the records from his supervised contact. With regard to the assessment of his parenting, he will not have 'failed' based on one session that did not go well. Again he needs to request a copy of the assessment plan - what is being assessed and how? Father and child placement could be a great opportunity - this would not be offered if he had already been deemed unsuitable. In the meantime are there any parenting classes/courses he could do?

@SplashparkSummer

He is being assessed as it seemed the mother's mental health was declining. She is in a mother and baby foster placement.

I don't understand.
What is the impact of the mother's health on him?

Thank you. He has legal advice. It appears the parenting assessment was based on the SW talking to him at his home and then the one session. His solicitor is going to argue that was inadequate and push for a proper assessment.

We are really hoping the father and child placement will go ahead. He has already signed up for a parenting course starting in September.

He could also watch lots of you tube videos from the local starting well partnership on how to bond with little ones.

I believe it is because the DC is in foster care so to move them elsewhere that person would have to be assessed. If I offered to have him for example I would have to be assessed.

Ah, brilliant, thank you I'll pass that on. He is very keen to do anything he can.

I would absolutley agree that this is not a proper parenting assessment, little more than a screening really. Glad to hear parenting course is due to start soon. He needs to hang in there and be prepared for his parenting to be scrutinised. Not easy, but of it achieves his son living with him rather than going into care, it will be worth it. Knowing there will be practical and emotional support from extended family members could also make a significant difference. Hope all goes well OP.

Does he have parental responsibility?
was he not involved before the children the date order was taken out (I assume there was a care order made if they have been removed from their mother).

As someone else has said he needs legal advice. He can also ask for an advocate to support him in meetings with social care. I would expect the child to have gone into his care unless there was specific concerns about his parenting.

Are you sure he’s told you whole story.

friends and family can contact social care to request to be assessed as carers for the children. If there is anyone who could do this, such as an aunt etc.

Thank you so much.

The DC has not been taken from his mother yet.

Are the basics in place?

Stable place to live, room for the child to sleep and play? I don't mean a 5 bed house with stables and ponies in the garden, I mean not a houses of multiple occupancy shared with alcoholics / other risky people.

Is that home reasonably clean and tidy. Is there room for an appropriate bed for the child. If the house is full of holes he's punched in the walls or doors, say, that's really not a great sign.

Stability for your nephew is essential - reliable income for one thing (benefits, employment, whatever). Can he demonstrate he's capable of parenting a child who is currently more vulnerable than is usual - ie isn't struggling with drink or drugs, has a support network available if he needs things like moral support, emergency shopping dropped off for a sick child, whatever? The better the network, the better for your nephew and his son.

Can he demonstrate that he's capable of doing things like showing up on time, clean, not intoxicated etc for appointments with social services and other agencies without lots of excuses?

Does he understand the current needs for the child - appropriate diet, medical needs, how much sleep, bathing and teeth brushing, daily routine that works for the age of the child (I appreciate he doesn't have the kid enough to know their daily routine right now). What enrichment does the child need at this age - does he understand how to meet their needs for this? Toys, money etc aren't all the right answers - it could be about bedtime stories, tummy time, repeating words and phrases to help with speech - whatever is age and stage appropriate.

It's a whole new world for him if he hasn't had to be solely responsible 24/7 for the child before and he'll want to ensure every element of his own life is looking good plus adding in the child and all their needs.

Sorry op but your posts don’t make sense. This post says the child is in foster care?
But then in a follow up post he hasn’t been taken into care.
which is it?

It you haven’t answered if he has parental responsibility? Is he on the birth certificate?

he could also undertake a children's/infant first aid course

you mention a parenting course already but are there others?

can he start reading age appropriate books, how to talk so children listen, baby weening (all dependant on age of child)/ safe sleeping so he can illustrate he is well prepared to go from 3 hours a week to 24/7 care

can he undertake a cooking course/healthy eating? lot are available through local charities and doctors surgeries

is he financially stable, does he have any savings? How will he fund a bed/cot/clothes, does he have a suitable home that is as a minimum clean and tidy, better yet homely and welcoming for the child. Anything he can do to show he has a safe nurturing environment for the child will help

If he has parental responsibility then unless the child is under a CP plan/LA care he can exercise his parental responsibility and have him live with him. Your posts don’t make a lot of sense as to what is going on though.