To record someone in my home without their consent?

[RunningInChaoticCircles]

This is DS’s social worker who came to my home for a meeting. I had an idea that the meeting was be used for nefarious purposes and I was right.

Got it all on video and put in a complaint as have evidence of what was said and was able to go it for exact words. Told them I recorded it.

Council have said I must delete the recording immediately as social worker did not consent.

I checked and from what I read it is not illegal to record someone in YOUR home without their consent (I certainly wouldn’t do it to anyone else apart from council employees!) and keep it for your own use.

Who’s right and WIBU?

It is also worth being clear that social workers cover a wide range of jobs, adult and children. Child protection, adult mental health and older people.
Family support roles, short term child protection investigations and disability services.
For some of these roles formal continual recording might be helpful for others they would be extremely odd and unhelpful.

I mean my post man is recorded everytime he comes to me door video and audio but a social worker who in ops case is meant to be helping their child is wrong?

Give over it’s the sons personal and confidential information and he wanted it recorded.

Maybe if officials all not just SS where transparent and trustworthy people wouldn’t feel the need to have their own proof.

I recorded our LA's Head of SEND admitting both she and the school lied (whilst denying she was deliberately incompetent) at an AR attended by my solicitor. School wanted to check with LA first whether or not they should admit having lied. My recording helped them decide to admit it and apologise. I record all meetings, if I'm asked whether I'm recording I agree, if I'm not asked I don't inform them.

Just say you'd been recording a clip of something just before they arrived, and accidentally left it recording.

I think some people are very pro-SW and will defend them to the hilt, but possibly haven't had direct contact with them themselves as a service user.
There's sometimes an assumption that to be on SS radar you must be doing something wrong.
In my case I was a carer for a parent with dementia, so anyone who thinks they couldn't possibly need SW involvement because their own children aren't at risk then I hope that you are never in my situation.

I appreciate that SW are doing an extremely difficult job but equally the service users and their families are often in difficult circumstances and the difference is that the SW are fully trained, paid, and can go home at the end of their shift.

My interactions with SS where as the looked after child and I still think they are useless lying sacks of nothing. Based on the five I had as a child.

Ah, you’re that poster.

Everyone is used to the fact that police wear body cams now aren't they?

Once something's standard practice no one thinks much about it any more.

Some of the events told here on this thread about lies being told - children being sent back to abusive parents for eg - could have been prevented by routine recordings being taken.

You can record any personal meeting you like as long as it's for personal use and you don't share it. you do not need consent (unless it's court proceedings). You can share a transcription if needed. I've recorded many meetings and just don't tell them.

@FFSWhatToDoNow why do you always have to be so unpleasant?

The OP has every right to be advocating for the best for her child! Her DS is not running a mock or causing havoc. She's trying to get proper provisions put in place for his education!

I agree. Whilst some become social workers out of a genuine desire to have a career helping people it has also attracted a lot of power mad and nasty individuals who will lie and manipulate what others say so that they don't get in trouble for being unprofessional or downright evil.

@RunningInChaoticCircles I hate to say this but it will all be down to funding and in reality there isn't any. Cuts are being made constantly, adult social care in particular have been hit hard.

It’s a shame you’re unable to figure out how to read all the OP’s posts before posting pure made up shite (I’ve read your other nasty posts) and trying to defame the OP.

I bet you voted for Brexit too as that’s usually a good indictor of someone’s level of intelligence. 🤪

I’m totally happy to be recorded as everything I say is above board. In fact, I am recorded quite often via meetings on teams. In person meetings should be treated with respect. What is your concern about being recorded?

Care to elaborate on that comment @FFSWhatToDoNow ?

If you had an adult child with disabilities (through no fault of their own or yours) who’s entire education and mental health had been fucked up due to no support, horrendous bullying and misunderstanding of their needs, would you leave them to rot isolated at home with social anxiety and depression with no hope of holding down a job or any kind of independent life living on benefits or would you fight for an education and support that they are legally entitled to, to help them achieve their potential and as an independent life as they could considering you wouldn’t be around for them for ever?

Of course, you wouldn’t be capable of comprehending it if you weren’t in that situation but I am and I need all the advice I can get!

Millions of poorly paid people are recorded and monitored day in and out as part of their day to day working life. Which I disagree with. However, Is that really why ‘you’re all’ leaving in droves? I very much doubt it.

@jazzyfips There is a significant difference between being recorded in an open and recognizable way, teams, a formal note taker etc and being recorded secretly by someone.

Social workers are regularly recorded word for word and often videoed in some areas of work.

It would be sensible to assume that someone already in conflict with you may well be recording you without your knowledge or consent but it isn't remotely the same as a teams meeting experience.

Yet more evidence (as if any more was needed), that social workers don't live in the real world. They don't go to stores or banks, or even walk down the street, where there are CCTV cameras everywhere.

Like pp I am surprised that social workers don't wear body cams as I imagine a lot of aroguing in that line of work and body cam footage can be used to prosecute assault or settle disagreements about what was said at meetings. Video evidence about what was said by the parents or the state of their home would surely be much more accurate than notes taken after a visit.

If social workers turned up at a parents home wearing a body cap I very much doubt we’d get over the door half the time. It’s a relational profession, working with very vulnerable people who for many reasons struggle to care for their children.

There are many times I’d love to have had a recording of interactions with parents who were aggressive and threatening and violent and utterly in denial about their lack of care for their children but we don’t do that because we need to build relationships and build a degree of trust.

I’d have no problem being recorded but I would have an issue with not being told I was being recorded, for the same reasons I wouldn’t secretly record families I’d be visiting, despite it making my job much easier if I did. I’d also want assurances about what would happen with the recording - I’ve known colleagues have snippets of meetings posted on social media, their practice and reputation torn to shreds by disaffected service users. That’s unfair in any profession.

I was once recorded in a meeting without my knowledge or consent. The person who recorded me then made demands for settlement otherwise they would use it against me in a legal case. I knew what I had & hadn't said in the meeting and had nothing to worry about it. Even though our legal advice was that we could ask the court for it to be inadmissible, I wanted it included as I KNEW I had not said what had been said. Interestingly, the recording was accidentally deleted before a copy could be sent. The judge wasn't too happy about it and called them out on it!

What really upset me was the fact that I had been recorded without my consent. It felt like an invasion of my privacy and made me very angry. I can't explain why but I felt on edge for a long time after that in certain situations. Had the person asked to record, I wouldn't have had a problem - or behaved/said anything different. It was the underhand way it was done that annoyed me. At least if I had been asked I could have asked for a copy straight away for my own protection or made my own recording (to avoid editing).

I think bodycams are a good idea in some circumstances, but not sure whether they are appropriate in all - may make vulnerable people feel uncomfortable whereas a smaller recording device on a table may be quickly forgotten about.

There is no law that prohibits you from covertly recording people in your house.

As a lawyer I often get told something is illegal/unlawful/a breach. It’s perfectly acceptable to ask why they believe that to be so. I do often. Sometimes it’s to seek clarity, sometimes it’s sport 😁

you could respond that you note their request to delete the footage but are of the view consent is not require in law and so you will be retaining the recording.

You could ask if they would like a transcript and copy to facilitate their consideration of your complaint.

Apparently only 20% of people with ASD and 5% of people with learning disabilities are in employment. DS has both so what are his chances without a suitable education and it’s no wonder with councils fighting so hard not to provide one. My experience is only a tiny snapshot of this.

If they can’t fund what the government say they have to provide, they should be fighting the government not the disabled child!

If they can’t fund what the government say they have to provide, they should be fighting the government not the disabled child!

Its ridiculous that you have to fight so hard to get the education and support your child needs, I know what it’s like though haven’t had to fight to the extent you have, and yes I’d have been recording meetings long before now. The only difference being I’d have told them I was doing it.

It's fine. They're just trying to bully and scare you.

I'm deaf and I use live transcript to record everything as reading lips is exhausting.

Can't see the issue unless the Social worker was unprofessional .
Good on you OP