Social Services

[novelle]

I received a visit from the SS regarding a referral that had been made by regarding my DD. The referral was someone in the NHS who had treated my DD for depression 6 months previously for anxiety. The referral came, I believe, as a result of a formal complaint I brought against him.
Two SWs came out to the house and said that the complaint came through as 'child protection' and that the referrer thought my DDs anxiety was down to me, i.e. we are emotionally reliant on each other, I keep her safe, DD not being allowed to have her say etc.
My DD was asked all sorts of questions and at the end said that this was not nor ever was a child protection issue and that they were there to offer support! That support would be done on a voluntary basis and I was asked to think about it and get back to them.
I spoke with my family, two of which are social workers, and told her that we had all the support we need thank you very much for the offer but we would rather not progress with SS intervention.
However, she said because DD had told them about bullying at school, the SW has been told by her manager to call the school to make sure everything is OK and then to meet with my DD again to make sure she is OK!
My SW family members are treating it like no big deal - but I am worried as DD does not want them to contact school as she is mortified that the school will know SS are on her case. DD is 14 - any advice?

SS are not 'on her case'. They are obliged by law to follow up any referrals they get, and speaking to parents and school is part of the basic enquiries that they have to make. It does not mean that they are concerned or thinging negatively about your family or DD. And in any case the school will be very used to enquiries from SS and will handle it confidentially. It will not prejudice your daughter in any way at school.
It sounds like there is no need for SS to be involved but they have to follow up the referral; chances are they'll speak to school find out all is ok and will not be involved any further. They have far more pressing issues to be dealing with anyway. try not to worry.

they already have a report from the school, GP etc and they are happy that she is doing well at school and there are no concerns over her medical health.
This is about bullying at school .. which I do not think is a SS issue and will only agitate the school.

Also this is as SW describes as a 'voluntary' support - but then we had no say on whether we wanted SS to get involved with the school!
Therefore, the SW is not following up the referral as the SW has already exhausted the referral and said there is no child protection case to answer.

This does sound like a sledge hammer to crack a walnut - I am a retired social work and mgr (30 years in all) The sw says she was told by her manager to contact the school, (which is commonplace) and so she has to do it, to tick the box.

I think it's more important that you know about the bullying - has your daughter mentioned it to you. Think you need to get more details from your daughter, and then go and see the head if you think there is a real problem. You could then warn her/him that they may be getting a call from SSs. Incidentally it won't "agitate" the school at all, as SSs often make calls to schools and it will be treated as confidential.

Yes DD tells me about bullying and I have had to contact the school every time it happens - as school have not taken it seriously when DD reports it herself. Teachers have been sacked over it and pupils suspended!
But I have managed to work with the school so that her teachers are on alert for any further bullying and immediate steps taken to remove bullies - it has taken me a year to get to this point as the school as been defensive when it comes to this sort of thing.

Sorry just reread your post - the reason I say agitate is because it took legal action to get the school to admit that they had a problem and offer an official apology...so i don't want the school thinking I am trying to stir things up again!
thought about pre-warning them but DD says no - just in case SS don't call the school and its been all for nothing!
don't really know what to do for the best - also SW wants to speak to DD after she has spoken with the school to ask DD if she wants support and DD is refusing - saying she has had enough of the 'interrogating' and wants to be left alone to get on with her life (I'm putting it a nice way - she said to tell SW to off)