Police request I attend for my 15 year old to be interviewed

[ianmcd]

Hi Folks

Having a really hard time, I have a 15 year old son who is a drug addict and doesnt live with me he keeps getting arrested and , every time he gets arrested the Police call and tell me I MUST attend as his parent, this is constantly going round in circles sometimes 3 times a day, I want to say no I am not attending you need to get the duty social worker and then he might get the help he needs , he is under social work care but they are totally useless, my question is can I be forced to attend the Police station and if I say he is not coming to stay at mine to just run away again where do I stand legally ?

Regards

Ian

[Kati]

Re: Police request I attend for my 15 year old to be interviewed

tagging [MENTION=6]Amethyst[/MENTION] [MENTION=85500]Peridot[/MENTION] [MENTION=31453]PAWS[/MENTION]??

[PAWS]

Re: Police request I attend for my 15 year old to be interviewed

I am so sorry for not responding sooner.
This is a horrible situation for you. Hopefully one of the beagles who know how social care works will be along soon to advise.
It sounds like this is beyond ‘having a chat’ with him and I am sure you have tried to discuss this with his Mum if she is still around. Have you tried talking to your GP. This is a health issue and it is worth a try? Social workers are usually useless and often do more harm than good but if a medical professional can intervene or refer him perhaps it might help for the sake of the whole family.
It might be worth asking the police if they have a family liaison officer you could talk to. Someone you might be able to talk to and perhaps come up with a plan. Probably will involve a good dose of tough love but I think you would be able to cope with that after all you have been through.
What I will say however is that many of the long term homeless started out like this and once the ties of family are broken the person does descend into a spiral that is very hard to break.
I cannot in all honesty tell you I would be able to put up with what you are going through and after constant trips to the police station and the disruption at home I might be inclined to send him out into the world with a swift boot up the backside. But if you haven’t already, please try the police and the GP and don’t be afraid to keep pushing. You pay your taxes for this support so they are not doing you a favour!
He may be a nightmare at the moment but he is your boy and it would be a shame if he became one of those faceless heaps of clothing we pass on the street every day.
Px

[slainte caragh]

Re: Police request I attend for my 15 year old to be interviewed

Hi,

if he is on drugs you can contact Social Services and ask him to have a designated "advocate" who will speak on his behalf etc, however safeguarding laws state he must be returned to the supervision of a responsible adult (i,e your very good self), which I understand is a pain in the place you plonk when the young man in question doesn't want this.

Now for the interesting part, as you are said responsible adult and obviously you love your son, you can ask for a Social Worker to check his mental capacity to make a rational decision. You may be able to get what is known as a DOLs (Deprevation of Liberties) to have him treated against his will - but only if SW deems him without the mental capacity.

If you can let me know just the area you are in I can find out the Safeguarding and Advocacy number for your area.

Callie