I'm very glad things are looking up for you.
Please forgive me for jumping on your thread but it may very well help someone else who may be experiencing the same thing to understand why sometimes things like this happen.
Most mothers who flee abuse do so because they realise just how damaging domestic abuse is to their children its one of the main reasons given for finding the emotional resources to leave. Often the point of leaving (or saying help me I need to leave) will be the first time they have openly admitted they are experiencing abuse or been open about its impact.
This sets in a chain of events usually started by a referral to children's services by the agency you approach for help sometimes this will just prompt a letter saying "we have a report of a DV incident,we are not taking any action at the moment but please call of you want to" sometimes it results in a phone call or visit. It would be quite usual even expected (and desirable) to offer supportive intervention to a victim of rape and DV. The vast majority of the time this support is very useful to the family.
Sometimes there may be a concern that the none violent parent is unable to protect the children from the violent parent or from witnessing further abuse or that the none violent parent is so traumatised by the abuse they need more intensive support.again this support is usually a good thing.
It can be very frightening but in the vast majority of cases it really is just a case of offering help,support and guidance during a very stressful emotional recovery.
There are a few things anybody in this situation can do to really help themselves and make it clear to children's services that they are not at risk of returning to the abusive situation and exposing their children to emotional harm and physical risk. Things like obtaining protection orders (or trying to),
cooperating with the police if needed. Engaging with the social worker and other advised sources of help, not communicating with the abuser or meeting up with them,the freedom program,being aware of security.specialist support from a respected organisation.(either face to face or otherwise)
And as odd as it sounds a respected parenting program can be very useful. Even if you are a experienced parent one of the aspects of DV is the very effective grooming that is a part of it and without you even noticing it can really effect how you parent.
Avoiding seeking a new relationship until you have completely emotionally healed and are able to identify early warning signs is also helpful.
Of course real life quality respected legal advice and keeping accurate records and relevant paperwork is IMO vital.
The cp resources site is incredibly useful.
Whilst the vast majority of SW follow the rules and are decent sensible people they are human beings and as such just like any other group of people some may make mistakes and some may be arses. Please don't let fear of them put you off seeking support. Without a doubt the single most effective method of removing the risk of abuse to your child if you are experiencing domestic abuse is to leave and do it safely a woman is significantly more at risk of serious harm at the point of leaving and shortly after than at any other time.support to do this from qualified professionals will usually make it much much safer.
Over the years the vast majority of my service users who either have no intervention or very limited intervention from CS are the ones who actively seek support and take the steps this op has without delay or without needing it to be arranged by CS.