Social worker - do we need one?

[1980Sport]

Hi - could anyone advise me on the benefits of having a social worker involved? I recently had a visit from a new HV for ds2 (16 week assessment) while she was there she said she'd do 2 year assessment on ds1 - I quickly told her about what was happening with his development and the tests he was having - so she asked me if she could do a social services referral for us as a social worker might be able to help - I said yes as we'd missed out on a year of DLA because I didn't know about it and thought a social worker might help us access whatever support might be available.

Anyway - I read a worrying thread on AIBU where nearly everyone seems to have had a bad experience with social services and now I'm beginning to think we'd be better without them? Was hoping for a more balanced view!?

TIA

It's not that ALL social workers are bad, it's that SOME are, and it's pot luck as to the one you get given.

Now consider this - you get a good one, and nothing, or very little, of any use happens. You get a bad one and they can turn your life into a living hell.

Who wants to take that risk?

Oh lordy - you're really making me think twice (again) I've chopped and changed my mind about a billion times now! No one at the children's centre has ever suggested a social worker - (we've been going 13 months) the HV caught me off guard and I said yes to the referral I suppose without really thinking it through. I'll phone the hv tomorrow and see if she's made the referral yet!

Why don't you go through with it without any expectations and keep it as low key as you can whilst you figure out what she might be able to offer (have someone with you though).

Just a contact to sign forms can be helpful.

I take your point, coldtits.

I only realised that there were two types of SW a couple of years ago. I'd steered clear of SS altogether cos of bad experiences with SS when I was younger in my own family; I hadn't realised that there were disability team SWs too, as well as the standard ones.

I have heard lots of bad things about some of the Child Protection/ Welfare SWs round here, but nothing bad at all about the Disability Team ones except lack of funds being forthcoming - but that's true everywhere.

Bum, wrote really good post then lost it!

in short

Can see where you are coming from star and had similar (appalling) experience with one of the psychiatrists, which made me nervous of the next one....

I think I am bit defensive of my profession, hopefully not too much (sorry if it came over that way..)

I think it is just, if it is all crap and we are all rubbish then why I am I bothering? But inspite of it all I do think it is worth doing, and I have lots of stories from people I have worked with/for who have (volunteered) stories of how what they and I have been able to do together has had a real positive impact in their lives and the lives of their families. That keeps me going...

1980 please do pm me, always ready to chat signing...

Thanks star - discussing it with dh now! I told him about the aibu thread and this one and he said his first thought was no no no when I told him about the hv's suggestion of a referral - it was just before Xmas madness so we'd both forgotten about it (until yesterday when I read that thread) anyway he basically said the same as you! So we'll let it run for now....

Hadn't read signs and givemesleep's posts before posting the above! We've been very lucky in our experiences with health care professionals - our GP is brilliant, I couldn't fault the midwife care or health visitor support with ds1&2 (bar 1 hv who told me four times to lock my knife drawer at ds1's 15 month assessment despite the fact he couldn't move an inch by himself) ds1's physio and paed are fantastic and we are 'getting there' with slt and ot - so I'm hoping we'll stay just as lucky with sw, but I have taken on board everyones comments and will approach with caution!

Sign - will send you a message tomorrow, heading to bed!

for me its the fact it means i can get all the proffesionals involved in ds care in one room and then i can hit them with any questions and it all goes down on paper and there s none of this ill write to physio,school,paed,salt as they are all their in the room and it all goes down on paper to .

Ds has care needs and pd so we would have ended up with one anyway so agreed to it

Gp/Hv were and are rubbish .Gp told me at the meeting well if ds dislicates he be creaming i seen a child dislocate infront of me then went on to say oh i have never seen a child with Eds though so duh why say he be in pain if you know nothing about it

For what it is worth, school thought we might like some respite care so referred us to a sw. Sw went to school, spoke to them, came and spoke to me and then got me respite care - not much but still it is something. Haven't heard from them since March but will probably hear from them next time funding is raised.