Hi. I need some advice as I am way out of my depth.
I'll try and be as succinct as possible.
My 14 year old nephew (so my sisters DS) was until recently living with his father and new partner.
My sister (childs mother) has no contact with the child for a significant amount of time. The father has basically badgered and emotionally abused my sister for years as he sees the kids as a meal ticket basically.
Children's services have been involved with the kids for some time.
He finally got his wish, and the kids moved in with him last year. My sister ceased contact with the kids.
A few weeks ago the 14 year old child was kicked out from the family home saying he was out of control and his new partner wont have him in the house and his new partner fears for her own kids safety.
I believe it is her house and she kicked him out.
The boys father enabled this.
The poor boy literally got kicked out on his ear with nowhere to go.
In the crisis my elderly father agreed to take the child in, but my father is not well and it is not a viable long term solution.
My other sister (not the boys mother) has been trying to liaise with the child's father but he is an extremely slippery and narcissistic person.
The childs social workers only seem concerned with maintaining a calm and stable house without the boy in it.
We (my other sister and I) have been invited to a Family Group Conference with the child's father and CS to discuss what happens next.
My suspicion is he is going to drop it all at our door and basically wash his hands of his son and rail road either my other sister or myself assume care for this child (which is not ideal for a multitude of reasons). The fathers extended family are M.I.A through all of this.
I guess my questions are:
-Is enabling the excluding from home (kicking out) a 14 year old child not classed as neglect?
-Should this have triggered a Section 47 assessment?
-Does the father not have a legal responsibility to house and shelter his son?
-Should the police not have been involved?
Were trying to find out if the boy is declared as a "Child in Need" but the social workers are really in thrall to the boys father and info is scarce and they do not seem to be advocating for the boy at all.
At the FGC I am going to ask for the case to be reviewed.
Finally:
What can my other sister and I expect from the Family Group Conference (FGC)?
Do I need to get legal advice?
Sorry for the long post but I feel out of my depth
Many Thanks