What Help Can I Get From Social Services

Social Services and your family

8min read

Mother and her baby on lap

This article explains what to expect if you or a member of your family unit asks for assistance from your local authority social services department or if some other professional person asks a social worker to visit considering they have concerns about the welfare of a member of your family.To find the number for your local social services you will need to contact your local potency. You can find your local social services here.

Local authority adult or children's social services support family members who have boosted needs beyond what health, education or community services can assistance with. They also have a duty to safeguard children and vulnerable adults who may exist at risk of harm, whether from family members or others. Levels of support tin can vary within each local authority and although the police defines what their duties are they likewise take their own 'thresholds' as to when they volition provide a service.

What are social services?

Social services have a statutory obligation to safeguard and promote the welfare of vulnerable children and adults and can provide a wide range of services to children and their parents, unremarkably within the own home environment and co-ordinated by a social worker. Families often feel anxious at the prospect of social services' interest because of experiences they may accept heard from others, or only because they are frightened that social workers volition remove their children from the family home.

These fears are natural merely a kid will but be removed if there is very clear show that they are at risk of pregnant harm, and there is a court social club in identify too. If they consider that your child is in immediate danger, the police tin can take a kid into 'police protection', but they accept to return your child to your care inside the next 48 hours unless the court makes an Emergency Protection Order (EPO).

There are different departments in social services to support varying needs. There is an adult social services section, which provides services to the elderly and working age adults who have learning difficulties, concrete or mental health problems, or addictions. If a child is looking later on a parent with a disability, they might be referred to as a 'immature carer' and in that location may be special provisions in place to help if this is the situation. Often, social care services for adults who have a mental illness or an addiction are provided past a mental health trust.

It is common for these different departments to piece of work together if a family or individual needs this. The aim is to coordinate their services in the interests of the family every bit a whole. If there are concerns that a kid may be suffering, or is at risk of harm, the work with the family will be led by a social worker from the children'southward services department (sometimes referred to as Children's Social Care).

Why social services may become involved

A parent or other adult family member or an older child may request family back up services from social services at times of stress or for aid regarding a particular child or family problem. A professional who knows the family unit such as a instructor, family unit centre worker or GP can make this asking on their behalf.

Depending on your local authority, either a neighbourhood-based social worker or a multi-bureau assessment team member (sometimes referred to equally a MASH team) will offering a further assessment, immediate assistance or an assessment team signpost to appropriate community-based support and services.

Children's and adults' social care services tin can assist parents and relatives who are disabled or who are caring for disabled children, including providing 'brusque break' services (inside or outside of the habitation).

In that location might be child protection issues for the child(ren), including cases where violence between adults could issue in harm to the children.

The parent may request that a kid be temporarily placed in foster care or residential care every bit an emergency or planned short term measure to aid with their kid'southward challenging behaviour, or to provide a planned break or a series of brusk breaks at a time of particular stress.

Where children are taken into care following emergency intervention by the police or a courtroom society.

Where a child is placed for adoption, occasionally at the asking of the parent just more frequently following a court club when the child is already in care.

Referral to social services

Referrals to social services can happen in a number of ways. You tin request assist yourself by calling your local social services - you can find your local social services here. Referrals can be fabricated by other professionals who are working with your family unit or children, including schools, GPs, health visitors, and more. If there are concerns that a child is existence driveling or neglected, professionals, family members or anyone else who is concerned can approach social services, the police or contact the NSPCC straight for advice.

If adult or children'due south social services are involved in your family and you are unsure what to expect, these guidelines will offer some useful advice. Your local social services departments will take a number of leaflets and written factsheets that tin assist you understand the piece of work they do and their procedures.

They volition have a website to give yous more data about the sorts of difficulties they can assistance with and the services they provide. If you lot do require the leaflets and factsheets in other languages or braille, please do enquire your local social services department virtually this. Yous tin also get independent communication, leaflets and support from Family Rights Group or if you are a concerned relative, the Grandparents' Association.

If the social services section of your local authorisation (LA) consider you or your child are in need of additional help or your kid may have been abused or neglected, they have a duty to talk with you lot and professionals and sometimes close relatives who know your child well, and to assess what actions should exist taken to improve things for the family and protect your child from harm. . There are many means in which social services and their partner agencies tin help you and your children so it is important to try and work alongside them and cooperate as all-time you can.

If they take been in touch to let you know that they are conducting a 'safeguarding' or a 'child protection' inquiry it is important not to panic. It is natural to experience anxious and frightened in this situation but yous should be informed by social services what the process involves and exist given leaflets nigh what you can exercise. Unless at that place are detail circumstances preventing them, they may call or write to you and allow you lot know they are conducting an of your child'due south needs and any risks to their wellness or development. They should give you lot an idea of how long this assessment is likely to take, and if they don't, make sure you lot ask them. In nigh cases these assessments result in them providing support and other services, with your agreement, in the family dwelling.

What is a social services Department 47 enquiry?

If at that place are concerns about the safety or welfare of a kid or children, they may decide that a kid protection investigation is needed and they will conduct what is called a Department 47 enquiry. This means they will carry out a total investigation considering there is reasonable cause to believe that a kid or children living in that home has been abused or neglected or is likely to be abused or neglected in the futurity unless steps are taken to safeguard the child's welfare. (The legal term they will utilize is 'meaning impairment').

If you take heard that they are going to conduct out a Section 47 enquiry, then again, delight do not panic. This is to decide the child'southward needs are being met. They will likewise utilise this enquiry to decide whether farther activeness may be needed to safeguard and promote the child'south welfare.

You volition be interviewed past a social worker, and, if in that location is an allegation that a child has been driveling or seriously neglected, by a specialist law officeholder and the child will exist seen, and depending on the age and circumstances may be formally interviewed on their own. They are likely to ask you and an older child to agree to a medical test by the GP. Social services must seek your views and consider the child's wishes and feelings when deciding what action should exist taken in the Department 47 research. Other information might be gathered from schools, GPs, or other professionals who know yous and your child well. If there is someone you think they should talk to, to get a meliorate agreement of your family unit yous should tell them.

One time the kid protection enquiry has been carried out, social services will be in affect well-nigh the outcome. If they decide that there has been no cause for concern then no further activity will exist taken, although they should check with you whether the family unit still needs help. If they consider the child has probably been abused or neglected or is likely to exist unless changes are made, then a child protection case conference volition be arranged. This may be considering they think you or someone else in your family unit has done something to damage the child, or because of something you haven't done, such as getting necessary medical handling, or making sure your child is properly supervised.

About the child protection conference

The child protection conference is a meeting to help anybody involved in this investigation to assess all the information and plan how to safeguard the child and promote his or her welfare. In near cases, parents and carers are encouraged to nourish and entitled to take someone for back up or have a legal representative to accompany them besides.

Social workers and other professionals who know the kid well will give a report at the briefing, and they should bear witness you their written report beforehand and check that it is accurate. If you disagree, the coming together chairperson should brand sure you accept a chance to put your betoken of view. At this meeting, it volition be decided whether or not the child has suffered or is probable to endure meaning damage and whether there should be a formal child protection plan (CP Plan) put in place. If it is the example that a formal child protection plan is necessary. Here will exist a record of the meeting and a detailed argument of the protection services to be provided volition be given to the parents and the professionals. If it is decided that a formal protection program is not necessary, but there are concerns nearly a child's wellbeing, there may exist understanding between the parents, older children and professionals that a 'family back up program' (sometimes chosen a 'child in need' plan should be in place to provide the support and services needed.

It is natural to worry that your children may be taken into care when there is a Child Protection Conference, but the aim of this meeting is to come across how everyone tin piece of work together to address the concerns raised. But a court tin can order that a child should no longer live with his or her parents and this would simply exist in very harmful situations. If the members of the conference consider that a court social club may exist needed to protect your child the local authority will commencement a 'pre-proceedings' process and at that point you have a correct to consult a solicitor, and you practice non have to pay for this service. It is really important that you accept legal advice if this happens.

Parents and children at the child protection conference

As a parent, you lot should be consulted at all stages of the process and kept informed nigh the determination to concur a kid protection conference. Parents will usually be encouraged to nourish a kid protection conference. If there has been domestic abuse within the family dwelling house, parents may exist invited to nourish separately. Parents tin can bring a friend or supporter to a child protection conference although they can't usually speak on your behalf. However if you lot're a parent with a disability, the local authority has an obligation to make certain you tin can fully participate. The professionals at the coming together have as well got to take into account race, organized religion and language barriers and have steps to ensure the parent is able to exist involved whether it be admission to an interpreter or other back up.

In that location are some cases where the chair may say a parent cannot nourish, this is in cases such every bit:

If in that location is a suspicion that you have seriously injured or assaulted your child and criminal proceedings are being considered
You accept a history of violence or could be violent to someone at the coming together or after
Parent has astringent mental health bug
If y'all get in nether the influence of booze or drugs

If you have been told not to come up to a coming together and you feel it is without merit, yous tin speak to your legal representative and hopefully address this in writing. You lot could besides ask that your views are expressed at the conference if you lot are not able to attend in person. You exercise have the correct to make a formal complaint or seek judicial review of the decision to exclude you. Notwithstanding, information technology is important to seek legal advice near this.

At times, children are invited to come to the meeting but this depends on their level of understanding, their emotional wellness and their age. Social workers will only allow this to happen if they feel it is beneficial to the kid or they have expressed a wish to nourish. They will be given support before the meeting so they know what to expect. They may bring an advocate or supporter with them. If they do not attend, their views should still be expressed within the meeting.

Social Services Child Protection Plan

If a formal Child Protection Plan is made, regular meetings chosen Core Groups will be held, and this is often the case if there is a family unit back up plan. The aim of this is for a small group of people including parents and children, if appropriate, to go through the program thoroughly and decide how everyone involved can work together. This group will meet regularly to make up one's mind if the details of the plan demand to change. The Child Protection Programme is a written record for parents, carers and professionals. It will gear up out the following:

What type/s of abuse or fail have occurred or are idea probable to occur if the protection plan is not successful
Whether the local authority should consider making a court application for a care or supervision order and call a 'pre-proceedings meeting@ to which parents and there solicitor will exist invited
Who is the fundamental worker for the child/parent and sometimes there will exist a different key worker for the parents
Who are the members of the Core Group
What work needs to be done by the parents and professionals to reduce the concern and safeguard the child
What needs does the kid have and how will they be met
What are the parents' needs and what support and services are to be made bachelor to them
When the work should happen and the date that the plan will be reviewed to see if information technology is still necessary, or there tin exist a less formal family support plan to provide the aid needed instead
Who is responsible for each function of the programme

A record of the plan will be kept by the agencies who were invited to the coming together and the parents and older children. (You may have heard the term 'Child Protection Annals' simply this no longer exists. It has been replaced by the recording of plans in order to emphasise that the process is virtually providing services to protect the kid.) The public cannot access information nigh whether there is a formal protection plan for a particular child and only the professionals involved with the child, or who may need to know if a kid they are working with is the subject of a protection plan, have access to this information. It is worth asking the key worker to tell you who does know about it.

Information technology is hard to say exactly how long a formal protection programme will be needed. This is decided at kid protection review meetings (held approximately every six months, but information technology could exist earlier) which parents and older children usually attend to give their views nigh whether the programme is helping or needs to be changed. This is something that the key worker tin talk to you virtually.

If you are concerned that a kid may exist driveling or seriously neglected so you lot can contact your local Children's Services Department, the NSPCC, the police force, or a health professional or teacher can make a referral to social services on your behalf.

If social services are involved with your family and you would like further back up and independent advice for this, you tin can contact us for advice and back up. You can phone call our helpline on 0808 800 2222 or electronic mail us at askus@familylives.org.united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland. You can talk to u.s.a. online via our live chat service which is open, Monday to Friday between 1.30pm and 9pm.

This page was updated on February 2018

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