Judge notices social workers are not reliable whitnesses

[GerryMatt]

Re: Judge notices social workers are not reliable whitnesses

Whew! I can see why you're so cross, GM.

Has she seen a psychiatrist at all or just the psychologist?

Just the psychologist. Like I say there have been relatively no proper assessments. Everything this guy says is 'evidence' according to SS. My sister even actually wrote a note to the professionals second Child In Need meeting stating that she had not told him the truth and was sorry for wasting their time, but they accused my mother of making her write it. Then they asked my mother to leave the meeting.

[leclerc]

Re: Judge notices social workers are not reliable whitnesses

Just the psychologist. Like I say there have been relatively no proper assessments. Everything this guy says is 'evidence' according to SS. My sister even actually wrote a note to the professionals second Child In Need meeting stating that she had not told him the truth and was sorry for wasting their time, but they accused my mother of making her write it. Then they asked my mother to leave the meeting.

In terms of the review meeting, they are statutory every 6 months so they cannot be brought forward. Furthermore, you need to at least look like you are working with them, ie if they say she tried to kill herself then how did she do it? Was it drugs, knives, razors, a belt? What or how did it stop? Was she found, according to them, and when did this take place?

The narrative of the events need looking into and I agree with what CC has said in regards of that age where people do play up. She refused a second opinion, she has refused a hair follicle test for drugs etc, etc, so the question is what does your sister see as an end game?

[MissFM]

Re: Judge notices social workers are not reliable whitnesses

Just the psychologist. Like I say there have been relatively no proper assessments. Everything this guy says is 'evidence' according to SS. My sister even actually wrote a note to the professionals second Child In Need meeting stating that she had not told him the truth and was sorry for wasting their time, but they accused my mother of making her write it. Then they asked my mother to leave the meeting.

AFAIK, no-one BUT a qualified doctor - specifically Psychiatrist - is allowed to diagnose/ prescribe treatment for mental illness - and that is certainly a route they should have followed with all else geared to that diagnosis (or absence of diagnosis). The opinions of others -"professionals" or not - are just that - opinions, not evidence. Your poor mother! It's extremely worrying if your sister is not allowed to retreat from a situation that she regrets having created.

I think CC's suggestion above is a good one and if it's any help at all, what we did when SS let us down (in a very different situation so I won't go into it here) was to send a letter, basically in diary form, baldly cataloging events and their consequences on a timeline. No comments or emotional reactions, just facts. The complaint was thus self-evident as were the failures of "professional" services.

We copied this to the relevant CEO's and MP's (our MP and the relevant Ministers - in our case AM's, too) along with a requirement that things were put right immediately - we specified how - and holding the relevant people personally responsible for any further damage from the moment the communication was received.

The whole experience is draining, humiliating and IMO shouldn't be necessary but in our case we did get a positive result extremely quickly.

Of course, your nuclear option would be the Press - but do bear in mind the unintended consequences if you were to contemplate that route.

HTH :tinysmile_hmm_t2: x

[MissFM]

Re: Judge notices social workers are not reliable whitnesses

In terms of the review meeting, they are statutory every 6 months so they cannot be brought forward

Sorry to disagree, leclerc, but they can be brought forward upon parental demand - parents can demand an emergency/interim review at any time.

[GerryMatt]

Re: Judge notices social workers are not reliable whitnesses

In terms of the review meeting, they are statutory every 6 months so they cannot be brought forward. Furthermore, you need to at least look like you are working with them, ie if they say she tried to kill herself then how did she do it? Was it drugs, knives, razors, a belt? What or how did it stop? Was she found, according to them, and when did this take place?

The narrative of the events need looking into and I agree with what CC has said in regards of that age where people do play up. She refused a second opinion, she has refused a hair follicle test for drugs etc, etc, so the question is what does your sister see as an end game?

They say it was an aspirin overdose. However, there is no evidence this actually occurred, only her word to the psychologist.
I think my sister has seen this initially as a means of getting attention but I have noticed now that it seems to be a little bit about power. My mother is trying so hard to be nice to her even though she is behaving like a spoilt brat (believe me). Perhaps she thinks she can play her parents off against SS and come out as the winner. She does not realize how dangerous this is if she actually does have to leave home as a result of all this. She has created a situation where it is difficult for her to stop this runaway train even if she wanted to. If the professionals were not so selfish and career minded I think they would just acknowledge that they have jumped the gun.

[GerryMatt]

Re: Judge notices social workers are not reliable whitnesses

Hi

I posted the link because we have some history with that SS. I have 3 daughters ( two now full adults ), and we had an incident years ago that lead to the SS stiking there nose in and making a mess. quite a serious one

In your circumstances, protect your mum and other family members from the SS trying to paint a bad image of you. your sisters 15, and girls between 13 and 17 go through emotional bumps, like a sort of emotional puberty,, some sail through, some have bumps,, but they nearly all sail through it eventually.

My advise, is get your mum to write a clear and concise letter to the SS dept, outlining her concerns in relation to there actions, lAsk them exactly what there plan is to recover the situation, in the short term and long term.

Thanks. A very long letter has just gone in outlining all of the key points of failure. I don't think they really have a plan except to discredit parents and force them to 'cooperate' with 'services'. Interestingly enough the word 'service' implies some kind of consent.

[GerryMatt]

Re: Judge notices social workers are not reliable whitnesses

AFAIK, no-one BUT a qualified doctor - specifically Psychiatrist - is allowed to diagnose/ prescribe treatment for mental illness - and that is certainly a route they should have followed with all else geared to that diagnosis (or absence of diagnosis). The opinions of others -"professionals" or not - are just that - opinions, not evidence. Your poor mother! It's extremely worrying if your sister is not allowed to retreat from a situation that she regrets having created.

I think CC's suggestion above is a good one and if it's any help at all, what we did when SS let us down (in a very different situation so I won't go into it here) was to send a letter, basically in diary form, baldly cataloging events and their consequences on a timeline. No comments or emotional reactions, just facts. The complaint was thus self-evident as were the failures of "professional" services.

We copied this to the relevant CEO's and MP's (our MP and the relevant Ministers - in our case AM's, too) along with a requirement that things were put right immediately - we specified how - and holding the relevant people personally responsible for any further damage from the moment the communication was received.

The whole experience is draining, humiliating and IMO shouldn't be necessary but in our case we did get a positive result extremely quickly.

Of course, your nuclear option would be the Press - but do bear in mind the unintended consequences if you were to contemplate that route.

HTH :tinysmile_hmm_t2: x

I agree: a psychiatrist, drug test and a medical exam should have been conducted before they rushed on ahead with a CP inquiry.
The press would be a good option in my opinion but my mother is not keen. She is hoping things can be resolved quietly.
I think that this matter should be made public because it is another example of unprofessional people abusing their power and failing to follow procedure. This sort of thing can really end in tears. They have not really handled things in a sensitive way at all and could have very easily pushed somebody over the edge.

[Crazy council]

Re: Judge notices social workers are not reliable whitnesses

but my mother is not keen. She is hoping things can be resolved quietly.

best way forward if possible. and a worded letter, goes on record, its best to have any disagreements by letter ort email. As social workers have a tenadancy to bend what you say into there notebooks.

make sure one of them is sitting down with your sister telling here its ok to feel like that and its a normal part of growing,,,, expressing yourself emotionally for the first proper time,,, i bet your mums in pieces, send her my sympathy, have been there