What will happen next?

[imjustsoworried]

Not going to go into the full story because it's long, but my sister (21) has kinship care of my little brother (7). She cheated on her partner (who they were living with), and moved herself and my little brother back into their mum's house without social work knowing.

DBro's mum is a physically abusive alcoholic and was left alone with him for 8 hours whilst paralytic last night, despite not allowed unsupervised contact with him. She has also been allowing her physically abusive boyfriend around him which is also banned by social services.

Other DSis and I found out about an hour ago and have informed social services. They will be doing a surprise visit on Thursday because that's when the boyfriend goes round, to have more basis for removal

What will happen next? Will he be put into the system? I'm scared they'll decide that he's actually safe there despite the court order. If anyone has experience of this I would be really grateful.

Could you or your other sister take him? Would that be a possibility?

@nimbuscloud DSis lives in a bedsit, and I have a broken knee with very limited mobility. I'd take him in a heartbeat but with current mobility issues I couldn't do it justice. Plus I live in another country (we're all in the UK - think Wales and England or something).

I'm sorry, I don't have advice but that sounds like a terribly stressful situation. I hope you are ok and everything works out for your family xxx

I used to work as a social worker, in child protection and 'child in need' teams. There must have been a determination that your little brother was deemed at risk of significant harm or neglect leading to his removal from the care of his mother. He was placed with your sister in a kinship fostering arrangement. You have done the right thing in reporting this matter to social services. Normally, social workers would look to place a child with responsible adults in the immediate family. If that is not possible, he will be placed in temporary foster care while a safeguarding meeting takes place. He maybe placed on the child protection register, depending on the perceived risk going forward. From what you mention, it is unlikely that your mother or sister would be reliable care-givers at any time in the immediate future. Therefore, you should look to see if there is anyone in the family who could be suggested as a stable family environment for your brother. Otherwise he maybe considered for long-term foster placement organised by the local authority, or eventually adoption.

@scoobydoo1971

I used to work as a social worker, in child protection and 'child in need' teams. There must have been a determination that your little brother was deemed at risk of significant harm or neglect leading to his removal from the care of his mother. He was placed with your sister in a kinship fostering arrangement. You have done the right thing in reporting this matter to social services. Normally, social workers would look to place a child with responsible adults in the immediate family. If that is not possible, he will be placed in temporary foster care while a safeguarding meeting takes place. He maybe placed on the child protection register, depending on the perceived risk going forward. From what you mention, it is unlikely that your mother or sister would be reliable care-givers at any time in the immediate future. Therefore, you should look to see if there is anyone in the family who could be suggested as a stable family environment for your brother. Otherwise he maybe considered for long-term foster placement organised by the local authority, or eventually adoption.

Thank you, this is helpful, if a little heartbreaking to hear.

A few questions:

If he would go into temporary foster first, would I be considered if I have an injury that impacts mobility? I am healing, albeit slowly.

Would social work actually move a child from one country to the other, within the UK, in order to help them stay with family, or do they rather a placement with unknown people in a similar/nearby area?

Sounds like such a tough situation.

I feel for your sister who is has been left responsible for the sole care of your brother. Did she just need a break when she left him with their mum? If so, I completely understand and think it's the least she deserves.

Could you or another family member at least help your sister more so that she can do the majority of care but not left with it all 24/7

It's an absolutely massive ask for a 21 year old to provide 24/7 care for a sibling of she's alone

@snzow

Sounds like such a tough situation.

I feel for your sister who is has been left responsible for the sole care of your brother. Did she just need a break when she left him with their mum? If so, I completely understand and think it's the least she deserves.

Could you or another family member at least help your sister more so that she can do the majority of care but not left with it all 24/7

It's an absolutely massive ask for a 21 year old to provide 24/7 care for a sibling of she's alone

Whilst I have similar worries, she did live with her fiance and his mother, who helped considerably - by no means was she the only one providing care, and got a lot of breaks, as she should.

However obviously now they're not together which makes a huge difference as you is, as she say, completely alone. The only family member who was deemed stable enough to look after him at all is me, and I live in Scotland, however I have made myself on-hand to be there for financial support should she need it. If she had told me what had happened instead of going to her mother's where she knows he's not allowed, I would have paid for a deposit for somewhere for the two of them, or pushed the homeless team, or something. As it happens she decided to go down the route that puts him back in the firing line, and my empathy stops there.