I am in a difficult situation. My children have been in care for the past four years because of something I did several years ago when I was mentally ill. Now my eldest child is 16, which I believe means he can choose where he lives. However, he is autistic and the authorities are using this to say that he is unable to make his own decisions about his life. If he agrees with the Social Worker, that is ok, but if he disagrees, they say that he doesn't know what he wants. My younger child is 13 and has always said he wanted to live with me, but the Social Worker persuaded him to change his mind and say he wanted to live with the foster parents. He won't talk to the IRO because he thinks he won't be listened to (which he hasn't been in the past).
My parents and I are trying to get them Advocacy; however, we realise that the children themselves have to ask for this and unless they do, there's nothing further that we can do for them. I just want my children to be able to have their views listened to.
The foster parents (with whom I get on quite well) recently told me that they intend to move near to their daughter, who lives a hundred miles away. While I understand that they want to be there for their daughter, I am concerned that a move will disrupt the children's education and friendships.
All I want is the best for my children, but because of the way I behaved when I was ill, Social Services seem determined to keep them away from me, whatever any of us want.