Legal advice regarding SS

[Bobbycat121]

Hi does anyone know or can point me in the direction of where I can get legal advice regarding social services involvement??

I depends what you mean by 'social services involvement '
Do you WANT to involve them in a situation?
Are they involved already and you don't want them to be ?
Have they done something specific that you don't agree with or want to question ?
Completely impossible to advise without a few specific details.

They have become involved due to a referral. SW wants to do a “Team around child” and “Early help” Ive been told by the family rights group and 2 other social workers that it is voluntary, however the SW is saying it isnt and refusing to accept me declining the offer.

You should see a solicitor specialising in care proceedings. You will have to pay, though. No legal aid.

Why do you want to decline?

Just wondered if there was any legal advice regarding this (IRL) as not sure where to go from here. If im being told its voluntary by 3 different people yet shes refusing to take no for answer.
I just dont want the help and I dont feel I need it, she seems to be clinging onto the fact that I am a lone parent to 4 children (one disabled) so must need help. I find her patronising and unpleasant and just want the case closed.

TAC meetings are voluntary. They are simply a coordination meeting by all those involved with your child/children to ensure no aspect of their needs are not being met. It's not sinister but joined up working for the benefit of your child's needs. Your input has equal measure , is voluntary and the meeting cannot go ahead without you. HOWEVER the standard procedure for failure to engage is to refer to Local safeguarding children's board. Who can make decisions which do not require voluntary input.

A TAC is not 'care proceedings '

I would ask to speak to her manager/have a meeting with her manager. It is voluntary but she will try and push it. Early help and child in need (the level above) are voluntary, child protection isn’t voluntary. They could put a child protection plan in place if you don’t engage but that’s a question to ask as early help to child protection is a bit of a jump.
You can speak to any solicitor specialising in family law but you’ll have to pay and they’ll say the same thing.

Thanks for the advice. Well her manager is in on monday. Yes it does seem extreme to jump from tac/early help which is the lowest level to child protection. But she isnt accepting that ive said no to it so I will have to wait till monday.

As others have said, this is a voluntary meeting. However, if you say no to it Social Services will consider whether concerns are sufficient to justify a different approach. As others have said, in the worst case this could lead to them doing something more threatening that is not voluntary. Refusing is unlikely to lead to the case being closed.

TAC is used to figure out what support you and/or your child may need to meet their needs. It is not care proceedings.

Like I said I find the SW very patronising and unpleasant. My daughter hates going to school which has affected her attendance and we are late alot (she has ASD) SW told me there is never an excuse to be late and “other parents manage”’so I dont find her helpful instead I find her dismissive and judgemental. She also suggested I contact my childrens father (who was violent towards me and is mentally unwell to the point he was sectioned) and ask him to have contact with my children because its “in their best interest” 🤔 Despite me having no contact with him for 2 years and him not actually wanting to see them. Im worried she will push that more aswell as was very adamant with it and suggested I said him a message. She also told me that my 21 month old HAS to go to nursery and she will be contacting the nursery to make sure I have applied. I didnt want to send her until 3.

It certainly sounds like she is overstepping the mark. I obviously don't know all the facts but I can't see any obvious justification for trying to force you to send your child to nursery. Nursery is not compulsory at any age and free provision doesn't start until the child is 3 years old. You definitely need to talk to her manager. However, rather than refusing to engage with the TAC completely, I would start by talking about being uncomfortable with the way this SW is approaching you. It may be that, handled properly, a TAC would help you with the problems you are having getting your daughter to school.