ethical dilemma DV and DC

[hairbrushbedhair]

In a situation where I know DV is occurring, there's substance addiction, MH issues - everything really.

It's common knowledge in our neighbourhood and being reguarly reported anonymously and not anon too. Police often attend. Their DC have social workers. Tbh family is engaged with every sort of agency out there. It's not up to us as neighbours to decide why 2 small DC still remain in the property but they do and we are flabbergasted at how long (maybe 2years now?) since this began

I have spoken to the woman and said I am worried. As have most neighbours.

What if anything can we do now? Just ignore it? I am morally struggling with what I could possibly do and frustrated with why it's being knowingly allowed to continue for so long. It's honestly not hidden

If the DC have social workers I'd be surprised if the school/nursery are not involved at some level....

DC are too young for school

There are "teachers" involved though

Basically everyone who should be aware is...

But yet it continues

I'm not surprised they haven't been removed, there is a serious concern about the overwhelmed and under skilled care system from CSC. A social worker has to weigh up the risks with the protective factors and these can sometimes show that there will be better outcomes if the children stay within the family structure rather than be placed into a chaotic locality care system

PP said research shows children are better staying within their birth families, this has actually been shown to be the opposite for children who live within the toxic trio (MH, substance misuse and DA) outcomes are better for these children who are removed into good quality care. As SW can not guarantee/know it will be poor quality and if there is a supportive, protective extended family member they will ask them to be heavily involved. There is also the problem of disguised compliance, this sounds like it is happening with this family. I'm afraid resources are so stretched in social care that these families are not seeing interventions that would have been put in place a decade ago. That's a cultural/social problem. If they are in the troubled families/family support programme that's in a mess because it is being reviewed also so it might be that this family are falling under the cracks. If the children aren't presenting with immediate and significant harm then they will be left as caseloads have those kids who are presenting like this as top priority. Hence why I'm no longer a social worker. I could no longer resolve my personal values and default safeguarding agenda with the new austerity landscape.

Very sad indeed.

Yes. I know it's not my place but I feel like they could have demanded they live with a suitable relative (the parents and the DC) or an adult fostering situation on a temporary basis might have been considered by now

This isn't a matter of a few months...

I suppose I could write godess

But today in phoning I was given out personal details that I didn't know before about the family (age surname etc) by a social worker! Teerifies me that I won't be left anon (did state at the beginning) if they so loosely let slip info if I wrote

And I don't want to put my own family in any danger if it does ultimately lead to removal in future