domestic violence an social work involvement

[mumtoaprince]

hi im posting this for a friend she was recently attacked by her partner resulting in a concussion this happened after a night out so both were drunk and this was the first time its happened and he was arrested, social services came out to see her they checked her fridge, cupboard and kids bedrooms she spoke to her 3year old daughter and asked her to show her tooth brush and asked her if she was scared (kids were not in house when the incident happened) she also said that her youngest should not have a pillow in his cot even tho he's almost 2, she has also stated that her partner is not allowed in the house when kids r there and he has to be supervised by his mum when he wants to c them........... personally i think this social worker is taking things to far as she was the victim and she now feels like there making her out to be a bad parent....has anyone else had a similar situation????

No it's not mandatory but cps can proceed without victim's agreement if they have enough evidence without victim statement. They sadly don't often.

The Police and CPS can and do now often proceed with prosecutions with body-cam evidence from where the Police response officers first attend the scene, irrespective of the victim's wishes on 'pressing charges'.

In fact 'pressing charges' is rapidly becoming an obsolete phrase.

can anyone tell me if this is likely to become a child protection issue and if so what all happens once the kids have been placed on the child protection register

No-one can give you a concrete answer to that question. SS will likely be interested in what your friend is doing to protect the DC. Refusing to co-operate with the police investigation/prosecution won't be looked at favourably and neither would taking him back into the home. Your friend may have to choose between him and the DC.

If she's still in denial about what he did she's not in a mindset to properly protect herself or her DC.

The family situation would then be likely to come under the scrutiny of a multi agency group. If she resists their offers of support and advice it would raise further questions and they would become more involved.

she is doing everything they ask of there and is fully co-operative with, she has also kicked him out but there still saying it might be a child protection issue

Any time there is domestic violence there 'might be a child protection issue', that is just standard. If she is doing everything they ask things should be ok for her unless she is just thinking that she can keep her head down until they go away and then have him back. Not co-operating with the police might make them suspicious that she is doing that.

Does she understand why they are asking her to get him out of the house? Is she fully co-operative in spirit or just doing what they say?

but there still saying it might be a child protection issue

Probably because she isn't pressing charges.

does your friend want him back in the house?

I think your friend has to understand that the 'normal' response to being attacked and rendered unconscious by your partner should be the victim wanting the assailant prosecuted and the automatic end to a relationship. Violence to a partner has no part in a loving relationship and there can be no second chances. The fact that your friend 'is not pressing charges' will signal to SS that she is not making that 'right' decision . SS know that victims of domestic violence often suffer numerous assaults before leaving or contacting support services to enable them to get out of the relationship. Ime if SS believe the mother has made that decision to cut the offender from her life and remove the threat of further dv from the home and dcs then they will back off. If they do not believe this is the case then they will still regard the situation as a child protection issue. - because it is !

Is it going to court and how is he likely to plead?