Social services starting all over again

[claw2]

Back story, school reported me to child protection for taking photos of the injuries ds's caused himself by self harming (as school were claiming he didnt self harm) and implied that i was fabricating his difficulties.

A social worker visited us wrote in her report that ds's injuries were gnat bites and it kinda snowballed from there.

Ds's has a long history of self harming and its well documented by CAMHS, GP, OT etc, etc.

A different social worker then visited ds in school, he told her he self harms because of school, showed her his injuries and told her he had thoughts of ending his life too.

We had emergency A&E for a mental health assessment. My GP signed him off from school pending further CAMHS assessment.

The social worker then arranged for ds to return to school, despite ds being signed off by GP and CAMHS not yet having assessed.

Social worker then turned up at my house and tried to force/bully ds back to school.

I made 2 complaints about this social worker, one about her conduct on her visit and another about her inaccurate report.

I was told the report would be amended and i would be sent copy. This did not happen and i have recieved no response to my complaint about her conduct. Its been 3 months now. This social worker left in December, told me ds's case would be passed to a different team. I have heard nothing.

Currently CAMHS have completed their assessments and they have signed ds off from school.

Today i have received an email from a duty social worker asking to make an appointment.

I asked which team she was from and i was told 'long term team'.

I am waiting on a phone call from her and would appreciate any advice on questions to ask or if anyone knows what the 'long term team' is?

Tricky, Claw. I think long-term may mean different things in different areas.

I just phoned and asked the receptionist which team she was from and got told she is from exactly the same team as previous SW, which is CP.

So what is a long term child protection team?

Obviously i can ask questions when she eventually phones.

For me long term is the team I am under - both boys have asd so not going to I prove as such, we have a social worker as we receive direct payments for respite and that will probably 'long term'

I think an I portent thing to find out is if they a re a disability social worker or a generic social worker

It makes no sense, it was my understanding core assessment would take place to identify needs and which services were needed.

Core assessment was totally inaccurate and i was told i would be sent an amended copy, which didnt happen. SS are not providing ANY services, so what is the point of them being involved long term?

BJK, according to receptionist she is Child Protection team.

In our area there appears to be an intial response team who do an inital assessment and then either close the referral or pass on to the long reach team for continued support.

claw, I'm sorry, I have no idea re: SS and CP.

most of all, I am sorry this is all still ongoing, and hanging over you once again.

Sorry I misunderstood. I was hoping it maybe a positive thing but if she is from the child protection team then I understand completely your concern. I would want more information and answers before agreeing to a meeting. It may be nothing sinister but after what has happened in the past can totally understand why this has made you worried

We have had inital assessment ie SW concluded ds's injuries were gnat bites, so were basically siding with school about pictures not being of his injuries and mum making it all up.

We then had core assessment, which concluded SS would not offer services and there was no need for their involvement and ds's needs should be met by school and CAMHS etc.

Then Child in need plan drawn up by social worker to get ds back to school.

It appears it has not been past to a different team and we are still working under child in need. Im just unsure of what exactly they feel ds is in need of, seen as they are not providing any services?

I have already written to the manager, months ago, asking them to explain their processes and asking for their guidelines. This has been ignored, left for months on end and then it seems started again.

Thanks Silver, i thought i had heard the last of it before Christmas or at the very least it would be passed to the disability team.

CAMHS have concluded that his anxiety/self harm is school related. Indi EP concluded the same and even LA EP has concluded the same thing.

Claw Don't know if this link clarifies anything for you but it gives the definition of a "child in need".
lutonchildcare.proceduresonline.com/chapters/g_cin_def_criteria.htm#legal_def
I have always understood the term "long term" to mean a condition which is likely to stay with the person, meaning that they will need help for a long time - possibly life long.

My DD is now in Adult Services, but she is under the "Long-term Team" as her condition will not get any better and she will always need input from Social Care services.
Prior to her turning 18, she would have been classed as a Child in Need under the Children with Disabilities SW Team due to the level of her disability.

The way it works in my LA is:

Initial request >Reception and Assessment team (CP)> Universal services and discharge or Children with Disabilities.

They've now streamlined, so if a child has obvious disabilities that meet criteria, then they get straight to CwD.

Just spoke to her apparently its not child protection, its CIN and it is past to the 'long team' until the case is closed.

SS are not the lead agency. She was unable to tell me what her role was exactly. But that she needed to do a statutory CIN visit.

About as clear as mud.

Oh that makes more sense then.

Once your child is listed as CIN, you have to have CIN assessment updates, even if the net result is 'ongoing'.

DD1 is in the Children with Disabilities team, which is a long term team because the criteria (in part) is that you are likely to need specialist services into adulthood.

This is the bit im not getting Lougle, ds is listed as a child in need, but SS are not providing any services. CAMHS etc are providing services. So what exactly is he in need of?

He can still be a CIN without actually receiving the services he needs via Social Services.

" A child is defined as being in need under the Act if:

s/he is unlikely to achieve or maintain, or have the opportunity of achieving or maintaining, a reasonable standard of health and development without the provision of services by a local authority under this part of the Act
his/her health or development is likely to be significantly impaired or further impaired, without the provision of such services
s/he is disabled.

Social services may provide services themselves or facilitate others to provide the services that are required. Assistance may be given in kind or (in exceptional circumstances) cash. When considering what assistance to provide to a child or young person, social services must have regard to the financial and others means of the child and his/her family." link

So you have to see the two things as separate:

Does your DS meet the CIN criteria? Yes
Does SS have to be the ones to provide for his needs? Not if someone else will do it.

If you scroll down on that link Claw it tells you how Luton (I don't live there it is just what came up on Google) categorise Children in Need and what that provides by way of services - or not, as the case may be. SO if you are a level 1 they just 'signpost' you to other services/agencies - so you would fit this as other agencies (ie CAMHS) are already involved. It doesn't necessarily mean that it will be LA services.
It is just that the LA and SC have the statutory duty, so they have ultimate responsibility to see that having identified a need, that need is met by someone.
My DD's servicesare all funded by Health, but her package is still overseen by SC as she is now classed as a "Vulnerable adult"and Social Care have the Statutory duty.

Because it is a new SW, and I know this has taken SO much out of you, it actually might be a positive thing.

We have had some exceptionally negative experiences with social workers, and also some exceptionally positive ones - frequently workers from the same agencies, too. Keep your guard up, of course, but even though you have been put through the mill again and again, try not to let your negativity about all this idiocy show at the outset. It sounds from what you are reporting that she is doing what she has been told to do - but who knows - maybe she will "click" with you and DS and be exactly who/what you need to accomplish what your family needs and get off this carousel.

Really, the fact that this is dragging out to an interminably long process just proves that they are not overly concerned that you are any threat to DS, but need to have you remain "on the radar" to cover their behinds.

Sorry this is so vague - but really hoping there might be the tiniest shred of positive in it somewhere.

Honks.

Thanks Lougle i have read that and have it bookmarked.

The thing that is bothering me, is IF it is not CP and is CIN, then why are the CP team dealing with it. Doesnt make sense.

Oh Claw, totally understand your anxiety.
I guess you just have to ask when comes what role is, what your child is in need of, why they need to stay involved given no services being provided.
Is EWO still involved? There was that guidance which said it should be EWO not SS for child out of school with medical reasons.

We have to have a meeting shortly which is because we get DP and I know they have to come and 'see' DS from time to time. It may just be that they have to do this while they have an open file.

Agnes, i asked on the phone what their role was, seen as they were not providing services and she wasnt sure what her role was, saying that she needed to visit as they had not done a visit in a long time. (obviously i told her a visit was fine, but that i just had a couple of questions as i was a bit confused by it)

EWO is no longer involved as ds has been signed off to the medical needs unit and is recieving 5 hours HT.

I dont have a problem with SS being involved IF they are involved for the right reasons and are actually going to be helpful. Last time they caused more damage than good. No one reads a report, no one communicates.

I had exactly the same thing last time, one person telling me its not CP, then another telling me it is CP. With no one actually telling me WHY or WHAT it was that ds needed protecting from.

I asked in writing to the senior manager for an explanation of their processes and guidelines, for a copy of the amended core assessment etc and nothing has been forthcoming.

What happens if you just refuse to answer the door?

Also experiencing groundhog day, but am too exhausted to deal with it right now.