Child protection SS for those following my story

[claw4]

Social worker has requested a meeting with school, myself and any other professionals involved in ds's care, after school made a referral to social services on the basis of child protection issues to 'get my family some help'

Social worker has made no contact with me at all.

No doubt school are planning on getting everyone in the room to agree with them.

But this is a good sign, right?

Claw, be careful. YOU don't need to explain things to THEM. THEY need to explain things to YOU.

Keep the criteria to yourself, just request the school explain themselves, in as undefensive way possible. Let them tie themselves up in nonsense. If a tribunal or anyone important asks why you have questioned them, produce the policy stuff then.

Do you know what type of meeting it is? Tbh I wouldn't be arguing over if it was arranged strictly according to rules if it was a cin or caf, I'd be looking at what could be achieved at the meeting.

Claw, to me, this meeting sounds like it could be heading towards a Child Protection Case. After school haven't referred to SS for "help for the family" if now you are being "accused" of taking inappropriate photos of ds and you being the cause of his anxiety.
Tread carefully for now. Star is right, you don't need to explain procedure to them. Procedure only becomes an issue if it is not followed correctly.
It is good you have written evidence of ds anxiety, because it is not unheard of, for Professionals to agree with each other in meetings, and go against the Parents, even if in private discussions, the TA or who ever has passed on info. and agreed with you re the dc difficulties.
Do you know the address of the SS you have been referred to? If you do, I would ring them directly, and ask to speak to the Case Manager for your ds, and explain you haven't heard from SS directly,& would like to before the meeting at school.
Take someone with you to the meeting, as this is another pair of ears, that can confirm what was said & by whom.
Take Care.

Star, can i message you my draft letter, its not a long letter, a page. Feel free to say no, as i know you have other things on your mind right now!!

Bigpants, is it an issue as they are not following the correct procedure. I have the procedure and criteria direct from SS website

It should go according to SS criteria and guidelines

1. school make allegations
2. SW discuss concerns with family and family and family consent to assessment
3. if consent is given SW completes assessment with family
4. then multi agencies are contacted, then a meeting to agree action and outcomes.

It hasnt gone that way, school had a meeting with me, told me they want to refer to a different ss team (who upon previous googling help school to support a child with complex needs and the statementing process) i consent and confirm what was said in meeting in writing.

School reply telling me no, referred to a different team, as a child protection issue. Although this doesnt really matter as i would have consented anyway, but thats not the point.

Then they want a multi agency meeting, skipping all the other steps.

Claw, I don't think SS are involved at all in any meaningful way from what you have written. Yes, they may have been invited, but I reckon your school are making things up. Perhaps they coukd not be persuaded to initiate a CP and compromised with nuts HT by agreeing to attend multi-agency meeting, for which the HT has had the delight in trying to scare you with.

SS are not my favourite service, but they don't get their own procedures wrong.

This is criteria

1. Child is idenified to have additionals needs by agency.
2. discuss concerns with child and family and gain consent for assessment.
3. complete assessment with child and family
4. multi-agency meeting to agree action and outcome

That translates to

1. School is the agency identifying additional needs to social services?
2. SW is to discuss agencies concerns with child and family and gain consent for assessment?
3. SW completes assessments with family
4. multi agency meeting to agree action and outcome

School are trying to do it

1. school is the agency identifying additional needs
2. School is dicussing concerns with me (and not giving me correct info of what i am agreeing to) and gaining consent
3. Multi agency meeting to agree actions and outcome

Thanks guy, i have done as Agnes suggested for now and i will keep the criteria etc to myself.

claw

IF it was already a child protection issue............trust me that would have hammered on your door. Been there worn the Tshirt and sent them off with egg on their faces.

The feeling I have is that this is all school planning and they have an end result all worked out.

Forewarned is forearmed as they say. I would contact the SS personally to discuss that you would welcome that fact they might like to meet with your family and your DS but would really it was on neutral ground (ie your home) prior to any school meets. Get your SW name and write a letter confirming your conversation and that you are looking forward to meeting them on blah blah blah.

There would be no way I would entertain a full on school meeting that I was unprepared for x

Thanks Coff, apparently is level 1 - 2 child protection issue according to SS criteria, so not expecting a knock on the door.

Ive got my head around it now. Not feeling too good myself at the moment, so it took a while!

I have written to school basically saying i am withdrawing my agreement to the meeting, until i have had the opportunity to speak to the social worker and copied in the manager of SS (i have no idea of the contact details of sw involved).

Must go really not feeling too good, thanks

Sounds good Claw. School have made it clear twice that it is Child Protection issue as far as they are concerned (although you do not yet know if SW agrees it is CP issue, they may think school is nuts). They told you at the meeting when you were criticised for applying for SA / having taken photos and now again about this meeting.
I actually don't think it is unreasonable for you to insist on seeing the SW first and if she queries why you won't have a meeting say that as far as you are concerned it is school that is the problem and any meeting will just lead to more conflict. Your view is that this is an education issue and the best way of resolving that is through the SA procedure, which is why you have initiated that process.
Make it clear you are not refusing to have a meeting for CP reasons if the SW thinks the tis justified but you would alike confirmation that the SW is investigating CP issues first. You can also make it clear you are happy to be visited at home etc for them to see you and your DS at any time.
It can't be CIN meeting as the school don't think your DS has any needs do they? Except their objections to your parenting! The SW may decide its CIN but I think she must confirm which it is.

Just want to add my support claw, know you are getting great advice on this thread. Hope you get some rest tonight and feel bit better in morn x

Whichever route you take in regards to the meeting you must emphasise that your sons difficulties with anxiety are due to his educational needs not being appropriately catered for and highlight the professional reports that back this up.

My approach in your shoes.

1. Phone call to SS asking - is this case going to be handled by the disability team. If not why not? Or you may be able to do a search on the social worker's name to dscover to which team she belongs.

1. Step 2 would depend on which SW team I'd be dealing with.

Disability team
If it is the disabilities team I'd be proactive and ask them to do a home visit prior to the school meeting. At that home visit I'd ask them for a section 17 assessment (child in need) - give them a written list of things they could do to help (eg help chase medics, talk to school on my behalf, provide respite blah, blah).

I'd also explain that this is an EDUCATION issue, and explain that I'm being forced to go to tribunal due to the education system's failure to meet my son's needs blah, blah, blah.

Your proactive request for a home visit and willingness to engage should prevent it escalating to CP, but watch your back. Have the name of a good legal rep in your back pocket.

CP team
For God's sake don't try to be clever - get a damn good lawyer asap and do exactly as the legal eagle tells you. The system isn't fair or just and it doesn't have your child's welfare at heart. You are in danger of being sticthed up like a kipper!

If you get caught on the hop by any random unsolicited phone calls/visits etc make it DAMN clear that you have documentary MEDICAL evidence that your son's issues are caused by the school. You do not need to get drawn into any more discussion than that.

Consider this the end of any negotiation with the LA re the statement etc and let Tribunal process take it's course.

Agnes i basically gave the reasons that you stated in your first response and said that i am withdrawing my agreement until i have had the opportunity to speak to social worker, but that i would have no objections to a meeting after this. I didnt mention criteria or such like. Just reasons why i withdrew my agreement.

I had to explain myself to a degree, as i also copied CAMHS into the letter and i very much want to keep them onside and appear totally reasonable to them.

I also suspect they have made it a child protection issue so that they can extract information from CAMHS, as they have been very much 'on my side'

Claw, everyone is saying the same. Keep SS stuff and school issues separate. You don't have to wait till teachers are present to meet SW.

Bochead, its the CP team. The disability team who is school told me they were making the referral to, to get me to consent. Then when i followed it up in writing, they told me no, CP team. They lied, but thats not important, as i would have to consent anyway.

HT told me the certain type of name. Apparently its an early assessment of needs with the borough where i live, so i cant give the proper abb for it.

I dont have a name or anything for the social worker and i havent heard from them. I emailed manager of the disability team, who i have spoken to before and asked her for the name of social worker. I think my first step has to be to speak to the social worker.

I have had no dealing with the LA other to submit my SA request.

What kind of solicitor would i need for this kind of thing. I have meeting next month with SEN solicitor, i phoned them today, but they said they only do education.

Maria, i have no intentions of attending a meeting with teacher and sw. Im just trying to appear reasonable.

I agree this is a CP based on an allegation made by school. SW can deal with the allegation and that it is. After she has dealt with the allegation there will be no need for a meeting with school.

By explain myself i meant i gave reasons why i wasnt giving my agreement to the meeting going ahead ie this is a seperate issue, you have made allegations against me which need to be dealt with seperately etc, etc.

After this is dealt with i have no objections to meeting with school.

Claw, you know I have no real advice unlike the others on here but am really praying that everything goes your way. That prob hasn't come out right but you are doing great and your DS is blessed to have you for his mum xx

Thank you Starfish, i know what you mean.

I have no idea of what else school are actually accusing me of other the couple of things they wrote in a letter. I need to speak to SW and find out exactly what i am being accused of.

Levenes have a national list of CP solicitors they can refer you to. (CP to bully parents out of tribunal is a common tactic but in your case they are trying what is to me a novel approach).

Home visit with a non-related witness at my instigation & NO school meeting.
That's the approach I think I would take as it's stops the school's control of the situation and muddied waters being created with the HCP involved. However a 30 min initial consultation with a family law solictor will cost you nothing and confirm whether this is in fact the right approach to take.

Thanks Boc, i will get phoning family law solicitors in the morning. Luckily i have been saving for a Tribunal, so have some spare cash.

and i have written down all your advice

Last time i applied for SA it was referred to disability team who 'work with schools to help children who need extra help to thrive in school' and 'also work with such matters as supporting the statementing process' even though i accepted this referral, i later found it was written on school file 'parents declined referral'!

My 'treat it like a business' front has just slipped, they have finally got to me and im sitting here in tears and shaking.

I just went up to bed and tried to sleep, ds was in my bed sleeping and i couldnt help thinking as i looked as his lovely little face, what on earth would i do if they took him away from me.

Im having a feeling sorry for myself moment, lack of sleep, period pains from hell and heavy bleeding are not helping. I feel like screaming at the HT as she stands at the school gate smiling and nodding politely to everyone in the morning. I wont though, i will smile politely and nod back.

Rant and sob over, pulls oneself together.