Finding a solicitor/lawyer to help with social services

[gabr]

Can I ask please for advice. I am worried and not knowing what is next makes it worse. A few days the school called us just before the picking up time from school asking to come to school (me and my husband) as the SS are on their way. We rushed straight away. There we were taken to headteacher office and told us to wait to see SS and that our kids are looked after until we do so. The headteacher told us that if we do not like the outcome to call the police. We waited almost 3 hour there. To cut it short, we found out that in the meantime our kids (who are 5 and 8) were interviewed by the SS and the police during that time. After that we were both interviewed separately by SS and police (so much for the police helping us), even if I was very reluctant to be interviewed alone, as I am quite deaf. Again, to cut it short, after the interviews, we were allowed to take the kids back, and they were upset as they were told that we were late to pick them up. The SS and the police turned up at our house a short while later as they said they would do so. We had no problem showing them around. They said they would be in touch and texted 2 days later asking for a virtual call. At no point we were given any explanation and we are not sure if we should get a solicitor involved. We would like a recommendation or best way how to find one please. Thank you

Try Contact a Family, they might know.

God how scary for you all. I'd assume the school called them, maybe one of the kids said something ??

It's a bit hard to know without more information. I feel like there's more to this.

What were you interviewed about? Did you not ask what you were being interviewed about at the time? How at no point have the school, police, or social services told you what this is all for? Even if they can't tell you exactly what it is to keep the source anonymous, they should at least say "there has been a safeguarding concern raised by X about X". Social services and police don't have the resources to do investigations willy nilly so there must have been a serious concern raised somewhere (I'm not saying it's true obviously).

The police can't formally interview you for a criminal offence without telling you what you're being interviewed for or offering you free legal advice. I'm therefore assuming this was a safeguarding issue or concern over the children's wellbeing instead.

What would you hope to gain from solicitors being involved? Have you contacted social services, the school, the police etc and asked for reasons why they've been involved? Surely they've given you a reason to visit your home before you've let them in? Sorry OP but something isn't adding up here.

At no point did you ask what it was all about?

There is no way that neither social services or the police would not have told you what this is about. Even if just basic details.

With regards to a solicitors most companies have a family law department, just Google some local firms.

Unfortunately many years ago I had to deal with a particularly nasty social worker from our local dept who was determined to take my children because I'm disabled. No other reason. The best piece of advice I was given was NOT to use a solicitor from the county you live in. You never know which solicitors within your county the local authority may use for whatever matter, and despite claims otherwise, there is a serious danger of conflict of interests and unfair treatment. It worked for me is all I can say. Whatever has happened, I know how scary this is and wish you the very best of luck.

Are the children with you or in care now?

What were you ask by SS and police? That should give you inkling as to what the suspicions/safeguarding issues are.

What did the police and SS say when you said, 'What is this in direct relation to?'

The 8 year old should be capable of telling you what questions they were asked.

Surely you know what ss and the police interviewed you about?

We're the children with an adult when they were interviewed?

You must know exactly what the allegation was there is no way you don’t

🤔

I agree

Quite true. NEVER use a solicitor from within your local authority area. They are very cosy together.

We do know what is about, more or less, through our 8 years old. The point was that surely SS were supposed to also let us know. If we do avoid the local solicitors as suggested, surely solicitors from different areas would be cosy with that area's SS. Would not SS, from wherever they are, not linked together. I have no experience of SS.

I’m not sure what you expect a solicitor to do. It would be very expensive and there’s little they could achieve at this stage. You need to talk with the social worker first of all, find out what’s been alleged, and what’s happening next.

Social services initial priority will be the children.

If you have done nothing wrong, you just need to work with them while they investigate.

What disclosure have the children made?

They would have been interviewed by a police officer and social worker as OP states, and I imagine it would have been a recorded “Achieving Best Evidence” interview, which would take place following a disclosure from a child. This is standard procedure, albeit no doubt OP will be anxious. As others have said though, at this stage just work honestly with social care and see what the next steps are. It’s not usual to engage solicitors at this point as there’s little they can do, so would be a waste of money.