Emergency Fostering - what are SS's responsibilities?

[CouthyMow]

For various reasons, mostly to do with the safeguarding of my younger DC's, and to try to get my DD the MH support she so desperately needs, I have had to refuse to allow her to come home after she is taken to court in the morning.

She is 15, with SN's and has been self-harming again (only discovered in police custody).

I had to have her arrested yesterday for criminal damage, partly for my safety, partly for the safety of my younger DC's, and partly tbh for her OWN safety.

Because it has been logged as a DV incident, and I am the victim, and for the reasons outlined above, I cannot have her home.

I thought in these circumstances, SS were OBLIGED to find an emergency FC placement?

DD has been in cells since 2.30pm yesterday afternoon. The Officer in Charge of the case has had a massive row with the duty SW as they have refused to find a placement for DD - apparently there isn't anywhere.

Tomorrow morning, she will be taken by security, with no appropriate adult, to a youth court in a town over 30 miles away, as my local court isn't open tomorrow. They didn't WANT to take her strait to court, but as SS have refused to place her, the police have no choice.

After court, she will be taken down to the Court Cells until YOTS can see her. YOTS will have to contact SS. Then DD will STILL be waiting in cells until a SW can get there.

I don't know if it will be a SW from MY area or a SW from THAT area. That area is in the South of my County, and I am in the North of my County.

I have no transport, what will I do about visiting DD?

I'm not doing this because I WANT to, but because it's the last resort, and I have to safeguard my younger DC's from her violence - as well as smashing my house up constantly for the last 4 days, and absconding repeatedly, she has also threatened to beat my 11yo black and blue and to push him down the stairs.

Are they discharging a proper duty of care to my vulnerable, depressed, self harming 15yo with SN's and Moderate Learning Difficulties??

Leaving her in cells for maybe 24 hours or more in total? She was arrested at 2.30pm yesterday afternoon, and will be taken to court at 8/9am tomorrow, to be heard at some random point after that. Then she will have to wait for YOTS (not her first court appearance for criminal damage) and THEN wait for a SW...

Is this normal with such a vulnerable teenager if the parent, for reasons of her younger DC's safety, cannot take them back home?

[fasparent]

Suggest you contact your local Parent partnership who should be able too suggest the right path too take as she has SN ,

[CouthyMow]

Oh, thank you! Other side of town that we moved from 6 months ago hadn't had a PP officer for 4+ years. This side of town SHOULD have one though!!

[CouthyMow]

No PP officer available.

SS refusing to act unless they hear from me or DD, DD won't do it, and I can't find a flipping phone number. When YOTS ring me back, I will ask for the number. I forgot in the last call because they were about to do something totally barmy.

YOTS in town the Court is in we're going to send DD to 'go buy a train ticket' (she's never done that before) and travel ALONE by train 30+ miles to get to YOTS in our town.

Dafuq??!!

This is a child with LD's who had yo have six week's coaching from me to be able to catch the bus to school in September, at the start if Y11.

She still gets off at our old house and walks from there even though there's a bus stop 10 minutes closer to the school.

WTF were they thinking?!

I pointed out that she needed yo travel with an appropriate adult, due to her LD's, and they have said that they will 'do something different' and ring me back...

Do they need their fucking bumps felt or something? A self harming teen with LD 's travelling 30+ miles unaccompanied!!

[CinnabarRed]

I've posted what I think is the right number on your other thread.

You can also call Essex Social Services for help, advice or information for yourself or someone you know on 0845 603 7634 - out of hours call: 0845 606 1212.

[CouthyMow]

A more sensible answer from YOTS in the town court is in - they will DRIVE her to YOTS in my town, who will take DD to SS.

Took 30 minutes of me thinking WHHAAAAATTTT??!! First, though!

[CouthyMow]

SS are point blank REFUSING to accommodate her. I asked bluntly "Are you saying that Social Care are willing to put my younger 3 DC's at risk of being in a DV situation, or being hurt, then?" I got a mumble , and when I asked "so is that a yes or no ?" They changed the subject.

The SW told me they can't accommodate, her manager played the guilt trip about me abandoning DD, and as I still have PR it's my responsibility to find her somewhere (there IS fucking nowhere, this week - her Dad MAY be able to take her, at some point NEXT week, but not yet)

They said about her going yo her Dad's, as he will have PR...they seemed a bit put out when I pointed out that as he's not on her Birth Certificate, and we haven't been to Court, and her Birth was registered before 01/12/03, that actually, NO, her Dad DOESN'T have PR...

I got the whole "if you don't take her home tonight, you are leaving a minor homeless, and that is neglect"

I pointed out at that point that if I am unable to have her home, in order to safeguard my younger DC's, then they have a legal duty to find an emergency placement for DD...

They have escalated it to the senior manager.

[wannabestressfree]

They did this to me....
My 14 year old attacked myself and my younger children. Was cutting himself and threatened to cut my throat. In the end the police arrested him. I refused to have him home as I knew he was mentally ill and no one would help me. The social worker came to me house and said they would remove my tax credits, I was negating my responsibility as his mother etc.
I stuck firm for all our sakes and he got the help he needed.

[LaurieFairyCake]

Yep , knew they'd try to push it on to you.

Better they say you're 'neglecting' her by not having her back than have her back and she hurts you/herself/the younger children.

Hope you recorded that conversation. I'd also go with having your younger children assessed/questioned about safeguarding issues so that they can confirm the violence/disruption.

Hope the senior manager gets back to you soon.
Where is your daughter now?

[CouthyMow]

They've released her and told her to come home. So I either have to take her back in and risk my other DC's safety, or I have to tell her face to face that I can't have her home and LITERALLY leave her on the streets. I'm in buts here, they won't fucking help.

[CouthyMow]

It didn't matter how firm I stood, they've fuckibg washed their hands of it. I can't leave a vulnerable 15yo ON THE FUCKING STREETS and they know it. They released her BEFORE phoning he to tell me that they had.

[LaurieFairyCake]

By released do you mean they've let your vulnerable kid out to wander the streets home?

Formal complaint if so.

If you said she couldn't come in would she go to a friends?

[CouthyMow]

I told them that if anything happens to my younger 3 DC's tonight, I will hold their department PERSONALLY responsible. I'm in tears here.

[CouthyMow]

Her only suitable friend, both parents will be out at work until 5.30-6pm, I have only met the parents once, about 4 years ago, and I don't have their phone numbers or even remember their names.

[CouthyMow]

And yes, Laurie, I mean EXACTLY that.

[LaurieFairyCake]

3 choices.

Don't let her in and she will go and stay somewhere else.

Let her in, call her dad /someone else to take her in.

Let her in, call police immediately she kicks off - maybe she won't want to spend another night in the cells and will behave tonight.

Horrible choices though.

[mistlethrush]

Couthy - surely there is a duty to protect you too, given your situation? Even if all the younger DCs were accommodated elsewhere, she could still be a danger to you. Please don't play that down.

[meditrina]

Do you have any paper trail of what SS have said to you today?

If not, then can you write an account of your understanding of the conversations and email it to them. Ask them to respond immediately if they disagree with any part of how you have interpreted wha you have said. Send it with an "acknowledge receipt" thingie (and say in the email that you have, s it's harder quibble about whether it was seen).

[Morgause]

The moment she starts banging on the door phone the police.

[CouthyMow]

I don't think that there IS anywhere else, all options exhausted.

Don't let her in, SS refused to accommodate, she stays on the street all night in January...

Let her in and HOPE she doesn't hurt DS1...

[CouthyMow]

I don't have an email address, and it's all been done over the phone. MN is my best record!!

[CouthyMow]

I can't leave her on the streets in January. She will be VERY vulnerable, she's easily led, someone offers her drugs, I'm quite sure that right now if I did that, she wouldn't see that she has anything left to lose.

[hootloop]

Not commented on your threads before but is there anyway you can get your sons somewhere safe before your daughter gets home.
I wish I had a solution for you but as I haven't I haven't posted but I am really worried about your other children.

[YoniMatopoeia]

Oh Couthy. No help here, sorry, but I hope you get it sorted.

[wetaugust]

but is there anyway you can get your sons somewhere safe before your daughter gets home.

Daft idea that is totally unsustainable.

No, you let her in and the minute she remotely kicks off you ring 999.