social services taken my son

[amanda1989]

hi about 3 months ago my ex partner took my 4 year old boy to the hospital due to a bruise on his head, i told the father he had head butted the wall that morning and that he had the worse tantrum hes ever had. that night i get a phone call saying that the doctors have rang social services and im being investigated. they took pictures of my child and said there was 14 unexplained injuries. i told the social services that my son has done the bruises himself- for some reason he pulls his ears and headbutts things when on naughty step i was planning to take to the doctors on the monday after it happened. plus the other bruises where when he has fell over and banged himself like kids do but he is very accident prone.the social put me on supervised visits in a centre two hours a week and my son went to live with his dad
the police were involved and i was questioned about the bruises after 3 months the police came back and said they are not charging as i was not guilty, however the social still think someone has done these injuries and he wud remain on achild protection plan and would not go back with me.they have told the dad to apply for a residency order which he has done for 100%. i am still on supervised visits, however i went to speak to the father about it and we argued he called the police and now the social have stopped my visits. my ex partner lies about everything and anything i say they do not believe. i can not afford to miss out on another 3 months of my sons life while they wait for court, i brought him up for 3 and half years on my own. is there any advice anyone can give me

Go to your gp and request it.

when i see my son now he has loads of bruises but the social are happy with the fathers explanation that hes fell over or banged himself but they wont believe me in the beginning

You should inform social services of this condition if you haven't already. If it does show up on the test then they have reasonable doubt. They need to cover all bases and you need to tell them this or get a solicitor to inform and demand a test.

Is your son still acquiring bruises with his dad?

what are social services sayng to you?

could you explain the bruises on your son OP initially?

imho - medics do not usually question normally aquired bruising and ive worked with social services in a professional capacity - it is actually quite difficult to have a child taken into care.

can you son explain where the bruises have come from? at 4 i assume someone has spoken to him?

surely you have a social worker?

he is still acquiring bruises with his dad- he told the social he fell over a step hit his face - they are happy with that along with the rest of the other cuts and bruises he has as i say he is very accident prone he falls over everywhere. the social are issuing care proceedings as they feel somebody has done these injuries however i was not charged by the police but they will not change there decision they feel he is a risk with me but when i ask y they will not give me a answer

so they took him because he had a huge bruise on his head which you ignored?
so if you want him back you need to promise to not ignore bruises, not argue with his dad

i also agree that if you believe your son has a condition that predisposes him to bruising and injury he needs to be tested for that - why has that not happened? surely your GP would assist with this?

social services dont usually take children from the mother without good cause imvho and ive seen some cases which have left me speechless that more has not been done - i suspect there will be more to this than meets the eye.

i could explain the bruises and told the police where i assume they have come from, my son has said to the doctor twice he has done the injuries himself this is actually written in the doctors report but the social dont believe it but they will believe him now when he says he banged himself its all wrong. i have told the social about the blood clot but they are happy with the tests thta got done but as ive said normal testing would not show the condition. it has been passed to my gp buts it how i get him tested as i am not allowed near with without supervised visits

if you know he has this special condition where he bruises easily, is that what you said, he has obviously been tested for it, so it will be in his gp notes, and thereby social services should ahve access to the information.

Something doesn't add up here. From what I know of social services it is very difficult to get a child taken into care, especially if there is room for a social worker and a care plan at home. I understand social services thinking he may be a risk with you but if he's still acquiring the same type of bruises with his father only his father can explain them it sounds odd. Who's to say his father isn't causing the bruises but can lie to cover them up? At 4 I'm sure he's been asked about the bruises and if they were accidental he would say they were.

normal testing would surely show any clotting issues?

sorry OP. its hard on you, but i think you need to work with them.
The fact the police did not charge means they have no evidence or proof, it doesnt mean any more than that - but social services and the medical staff clearly had concerns.

what have social services actually said?

who looked after him when you were at work? or werent you working when he was at home?

In the next meeting ask for their issues with you to be put in writing so that you can address each one to resolve the problem.

The cheek bim and thigh are the main areas adults hit children. A slap across the face s smack to the bum or legs. That is why its serious and there is more padding so it take more force to cause the injures.

Could you live with family and have them supporives your care of son and undre go assessment with ss?

OP. one simple question.
how did your child actually get the bruising and unexplained injuries. you say you say how you assumed he got them - how did he actually get them?
or do you not know?

my twin sister is the one who first found out about the condition and was only found after she had a still born in which they can carry out this certain test to understand y it happened that is where its come from .
they

You will have to request the medical testing for the condition during the court proceedings (ask for it to be ordered at the first hearing) Get as many details as you can about the condition, and history within the family, as this will make it more plausible.

If care proceedings are being issued at this time, whilst he's been with his dad for 4 months already, no one is pointing the finger at you alone. If they thought he was safe with Dad then they wouldn't bother issuing proceedings.

i said i assumed some of the injuries but most of them i can give a definite answer but he was not in my care 24 7 that week so i cant see why the blame in all on me i told his dad i was taking him the doctor on the monday but he went against my wishes i took him on the sunday without telling me
i mum looked after him when i was in work or he was at his dads

if there is a medical condition, then i would get some legal advice. Are you certain that your son had the condition or are you just saying that your sister was tested for something following her MC?

it sounds a little like you think maybe there is a condition but you dont know for sure?

There is a solicitor who is top rated (Band 1) in Chambers and Partners for allegations of non-accidental injury.

Legal ability and experience varies a lot and in your shoes I'd want an absolute star, and she is. She's also very honest and very child-focused, which I'm sure is also what you want. She's acted for a friend of mine, and she raves about her. Coincidentally a family friend is a retired CAFCASS officer who had dealings with her in court on a couple of cases, and she also raves about her. You need a really, really good lawyer in all honesty, a specialist in these cases, not just a high street one who spends more time dealing with wills and house sales. And if this one is too far away she should be able to recommend someone nearer to you. You should be able to get legal aid as well.

What if he does not have the condition?

Are you concerned that his father is abuesing him or hurting him?

Are you concerned your son is hurt?

How long do brusies last or how old were the brusies and who had care of your son in that time?

Get all the information you can and get a laywer.

You do sound like he's never been tested and you just assume he has the condition as it's often genetic. What if he doesn't have the condition? How else can you explain the multitude of bruising on areas of his body that it is difficult if not unlikely to bruise himself. Social services if not the court will be asking these questions and saying he's a strong four year old is not going to make a blind bit of difference in most circumstances.

i would go through the court process if you are certain that the bruises were not caused by you as SS appear to be suggesting.

but the child has sustained injuries somehow.

You need to be very honest with yourself, and with SS and the courts as to how that may have come about.

bruises dont appear for nothing, and if there is a medical explanation i am sure it will come to light.

i doubt very much SS would leave the child with the father if he was the suspected abuser. The OP had supervised access.
SS will be privy to more information than we are getting on this thread, and will have made informed decisions helped by medics.