DS (18) GF Pregnant - Previous baby in care

[marie201]

Looking for any guidance really.

DS1 (18) is living with his GF (19).

DS rang tonight to say GF is pregnant. They, I think, expected me to be happy.

GF has LG who is around 18 months. Due to GF's MH she signed a voluntary fostering order (section 21 maybe?) as she'd tried to commit suicide. The plan was that baby would be returned to mum.

It was decided 2 weeks ago by the courts that the baby is going to live with its dad's parents 200 miles away and GF would just have visitation 4 times a year as GF hasn't made improvements with MH etc etc.

Ds1 said that if she got pregnant baby would go into care however, this eve, DS1 has said that he will have to go through a parenting approval thing to show he'd be a fit parent but, in all honesty, he wouldn't.

He left home on his 18th at the end of March and moved straight in with GF (they started dating the day before his birthday) and then didn't go back to college stating his MH was bad so he hasn't completed year 2 at college.

He has had 1 job since leaving college and was sacked on the 2nd week after not turning up for 4 days of the 10. He and GF spend all their UC within the first week or so and are then begging for money (which we won't give them) and the majority of their UC goes on weed.

Gf said social worker will look at family support network but she doesn't really have 1, she grew up in Foster care and was adopted at 8 and then put back into care at 15 and she has limited contact from adoptive parents, which means it will come down to DS's family however I'm not willing to 'lie' nor am I willing to take responsibility for baby living with them.

Does anyone have any ideas of how all this works and the chances of them actually keeping baby?

I couldn't allow our grandchild to go into care without a fight so we'd have to request that we would have PR and it live with us but with 4 kids at home (16, 11, 7 and 2) I'm not sure they'd allow that either?

Hi!

I'm new to posting so please keep that in mind!
I work for a fostering agency and have also worked for children's services.
Baby 1 would be on section 20 if mum agreed to it. There is the option for DS and Mum to go into foster care, on a parent and child placement, although, there is a real National shortage at the moment. It may be that they identify a placement in a different county or town for one parent. There are also parental assessment units, this could be like supported living (cctv communal areas, support staff etc) but the best option is to work with LA social worker and explore the options there. Just because she voluntarily signed section 20, doesn't always mean that baby2 will be subject to foster care but it would be explored to ensure Mum and DS are supported and Baby is safe and appropriately cared for etc.
There is also the option for you to explore Special Guardianship or Connected Persons but this would not give the local authority the opportunity to assess parenting capacity of Mum and DS. I would advise to try to be involved in them working with children's services and discuss options with them
Hope that makes some sense, any questions just ask!

@N0va

Hi!

I'm new to posting so please keep that in mind!
I work for a fostering agency and have also worked for children's services.
Baby 1 would be on section 20 if mum agreed to it. There is the option for DS and Mum to go into foster care, on a parent and child placement, although, there is a real National shortage at the moment. It may be that they identify a placement in a different county or town for one parent. There are also parental assessment units, this could be like supported living (cctv communal areas, support staff etc) but the best option is to work with LA social worker and explore the options there. Just because she voluntarily signed section 20, doesn't always mean that baby2 will be subject to foster care but it would be explored to ensure Mum and DS are supported and Baby is safe and appropriately cared for etc.
There is also the option for you to explore Special Guardianship or Connected Persons but this would not give the local authority the opportunity to assess parenting capacity of Mum and DS. I would advise to try to be involved in them working with children's services and discuss options with them
Hope that makes some sense, any questions just ask!

Also, just wanted to add that if Mum is using cannabis, this will show up during healthcare appointments and will likely result in hair strand tests which may be used in court when making decisions and she may be expected to engage with substance misuse services and this would also be explored with your DS to ascertain his use and he may be expected to engage with services also.

Your having 4 kids at home is no impediment: provided that you're coping with 4, and feel able to welcome a fifth.
If previous child was taken into care from the mother, unless there has been a significant change of circumstances, it's overwhelmingly likely this will happen again.
If you wish to be a kinship carer or special guardian, get in touch with Children's Services as soon as they become involved.

DD wasn't taken into care if that makes sense but she agreed a section 20 and now a SGO has been finalised. It's been 12 months since the section 20 was signed.

I think I may find a family law solicitor tomorrow and have a chat and find out what the chances are in all instances as GF is insistent that they will keep baby without issues other than possible SS involvement (which seems normal to her)

There will be a pre birth assessment and plan with SS for her and your son before anything is decided, which I assume is already underway as he has mentioned parenting corse and family support being looked into