Child protection plan - Devastated

[SENSummer]

Posting for traffic as SEN board is quiet.

We have a high needs AUADHD non verbal DS. Specialist school, learning disabilities and challenging behaviour. Lovely but hard work and disregulates in school holidays. His home carer recently quit due to his violence and not feeling safe which they put in writing and I shared with SS.

I gave up work (both professionals) and became DS carer (also has a younger sibling) and have absolutely advocated for him every step of the way.
We kept asking for additional support and being denied at panel. DS is almost 6 but huge, 9-10 clothes. We reached breaking point this Christmas. We felt we couldn’t keep him or ourselves safe in the home and were really at the end of our tether. I rang social services and recounted how uncomfortable we were with the events of Christmas, said we wanted to consider section 20 or residential school if they wouldn’t help us further. They had a meeting this week and put both kids on child protection plans. Said DS is staying with us as we are what’s best for him.

Im just completely devastated. Barely stopped crying for 24 hours.

There were quite a few inaccuracies told in the meeting that compiled made us look really negative. There’s also things like DS having a safety gate over his room which everyone (including SS and OT) has known about all along and never raised issue with but now it’s a massive issue.
I can evidence most of these things but I’m terrified to even try. They have all clearly decided we are now the problem. Apparently the police who were in the meeting (never had police involvement in our lives) heard all of this and were very unhappy.

No one has ever had an issue with our parenting if anything I’ve always been commended for my perseverance with DS. I honestly wish I’d never said anything, we just really needed help.

Are you the poster who is getting divorced?

Sorry - I read your post about getting divorced and was scared something like this would happen.

Is the concerns for your other dc.
what risk are they at at home? Have they been affected or injured?

You were at a Child Protection initial conference?

What did the professionals say around the table about your parenting?

What category is the child under for the plan?

There’s some mad doublethink in a SS system which decrees both that what is best for a child is staying in the family home, and the care in that home is of such a standard that a CP plan is required…

I was. Honestly H and I are now so terrified we’ve put that entirely to the side. We have been struggling under pressure for a very long time.

I am so sorry. I was so afraid something like this would happen.

Agreed.

I’m sorry, op. Surely/hopefully this might lead to you getting some respite?

Can you get some legal representation from a specialist who understands th challenges you face? Might be worth it for you and your family someone who can advocate for you all? Just a thought

No we weren’t at anything they did a first meeting without us and then a strategy meeting also without us.

We had an apt booked later this month with someone who was recommended on here but that seems pretty far off now

Did you get advice from the solicitor you were contacting on your other thread? Xx

X post. Can you ring them and ask for a sooner appt?

I may be out of date but IME…
A protection plan is put in place when a child’s safety is at risk, or the parents are unable to keep them safe. Through no fault of yours, you say yourself you are struggling to keep your child safe. It isn’t a reflection on your ability, or your behaviour and not a criticism.
A CPP will help ensure SC provide the support you need. Please try and see it as a positive.

So you arnt on CP then….you have to be invited to attend…..police always attend…it’s mandatory….. they likely held a professionals meeting…this was then escalated to a strategy meeting….professionals are then asked if CP threshold is met at a strategy….then a CP initial conference is convened around 2 to 3 weeks later…which parents are always invited to ….thing you getting mixed up

As PP has said your children can’t possibly be on a child protection plan if an initial child protection conference including you both has not been held .

What are you terrified of? You admit that you are unable to manage your DS, neither can your husband. What did you actually want to happen when you asked SS to remove him?

The strat isnt held with parents or the people that the concerns might be about

But what did they say at the conference about your parenting

Parents do attend the conference, did you not go?

Has there actually been a conference?

Sounds as if it might have just been a strat, what was the outcome?

Sorry things seem to be getting worse for you rather than better OP.

SW rang us after the strategy meeting and said they have decided to place both kids on a CPP. They certainly sounded like it was our fault. They said the police wanted to push neglect (I’m honestly aghast as to why but think a fair few of the non truths that were flying around the meeting didn’t help)

I won’t go into any outing details but they clearly did not know that DS is not toilet trained at night and therefore believed I was putting him in nappies and locking him behind a gate regardless. A couple of things similar to that also. It’s stuff I can absolutely evidence but its been miscommunication and I worry done damage now regardless.

A child protection conference happens after a strategy meeting and you as parents MUST be invited to attend. It shouldn't go ahead without you. Are you sure that a child protection plan has been put in place?

I think you've misunderstood slightly. They can initiate a section 47 child protection enquiry after a strategy meeting but they can't put children on a child protection plan without an initial child protection conference which if it is going to happen will happen 2-3 weeks after the strategy meeting and which you will be invited to attend.

Children are made subject to a plan IF that decision is made at the ICPC, everyone attends that, the parents, any other family members who are significant, police, health, social worker, GP (they never turn up), school/nursery, any other agencies involved in the family

A report is completed, you see it in advance of the ICPC and it will be clear what category of abuse they are looking at

It may be that the decision is the child is not made subject to a plan and can continue to be supported under CHIN or in fact to come into care given your other thread.

I think you need to ask more clear questions OP

They've held a strat, you need to know why and clarify if the action from the s47 investigation is to go to conference.

Or are you misunderstanding the strat process which is that an initial strat can recommend that they open a s47 investigation (ie a Child Protection investigation) which looks at whether the child is suffering or has experience harm.

have they had the initial AND the outcome, or just the initial?

I'm so sorry @SENSummer it sounds incredibly stressful when you're at breaking point and just trying to do your best and get some help.

It sounds like this is a s47 investigation OP?