Can Someone Refuse A Visit From A Social Worker.

[JG1965]

A friend has said that her mother goes away quite alot and she has only been back a few days when yesterday a social worker was at her door but she was away for the day and they left a card saying they were concerned for her welfare, she told her daughter who was going to telephone them today for her, but a policeman arrived at the door saying social services had asked him to check, he took her mother's details and said he was just checking to see that she was Ok and that he could see that she was fine and would report back to social services. She thinks a neighbour or someone must have reported that they had not seen her about for a while. My friend tried to explain on the telephone as her mother is a bit deaf so does not like to use the telephone much herself, that the police had called and saw she was alright and would be calling them to tell them but they still want to visit, they were also quite rude on the telephone. What my friend's mother wants to know can she refuse the visit from social services as she is really angry about this and having a policeman call at the house.

[hc4361]

Far better for her to arrange a visit and get it over and done with.
Why would any neighbour be concerned about her? Is she particularly vulnerable?

[pixie373]

I was wondering if she was vulnerable. Seems excessive for an adult who "goes away a lot" anyway. I'm sure she can see or refuse to see whoever she likes, but not sure if there is more to it?

[ladybirder]

I would be grateful for the concern shown.

[boxtops]

I'd be glad someone was caring about me. Perhaps a neighbour hadn't seen your mum for ages and was genuinely concerned - even so, I'm not sure social services would have been my first port of call under those circumstances.

[hc4361]

The problem is that if SS have reason to believe she is being abused or neglected by a family member they can't really accept a telephone call from the possible abuser asking them not to visit.

Or from the mother herself, really, as the abuser might be stood over her whilst she is making the call.

[woofgang]

Yes, provided the person is over age 16 and not thought to be mentally incompetent then she can refuse the social worker's visit BUT no one can refuse it for her. If they were rude on the phone, then she can and should complain. I can understand though that a neighbour might have been concerned if she is elderly and they hadn't seen her for quite a while and if the SW couldn't get an answer then the next step is to get the police involved.

[woofgang]

hc, actually they do have to accept a phonecall from the person unless they have a positive reason to believe that they are being coerced.

[pixie373]

Woofgang is completely right. They will want to hear from the mother, herself. If unable to communicate by phone, it would mean a visit.

[JG1965]

No she's not vunerable, she just gets invited by different family members to go visit them and she loves her holidays.

[vakayu]

It sounds like yourmother has caring concerned neighbours,no bad thing these days,unfortunately everyone else has been alerted to follow this up,as they have been in the news as making so many mistakes.

[China Doll]

It wouldn't be very sensible not to refuse. Social workers are damned if they do and damned if they don't - if something happened to the daughter while mum was away and it was found out that social services knew it was happening, they'd be absolutely trounced in the papers. I don't see the harm in just letting them in.

Also the check that the police did was most likely a welfare check - this is just to check that daughter is where everyone thinks she is, that they had the right address etc... this is not the same as a social service phone call/visit which assesses the whole situation. They are two seperate things.

[boxtops]

It's the mum's welfare they are checking up on, china, not the daughter?

[society]

If everything is right with mum, the home and everything I don't understand why the refusal to allow the social worker to see for themselves. Unless there's some underlying problem then... To me something is a bit fishy here.

[hc4361]

And if there is nothing fishy, I'd want them in my house so they can explain what prompted them to be concerned enough to call and request a police visit.

[society]

Exactly Hc4361

[China Doll]

Ahhhh.... I think I was reading it as it was the daughter who was alone, my mistake! Cheers boxy.

[woofgang]

Well I would be telling social services (nicely) that I didn't want to be visited. They can't insist and if she doesn't want to use the phone, she could write or email, it doesn't "mean a visit". I like my privacy and don't want or need social workers visiting.
I used to work closely with social services when i worked in the NHS and the good ones find ways without "insisting on visits" or being rude.
Just because you are old doesn't mean that you are demented or at risk.
hc they would say that they are "not at liberty to divulge" information about why they had concerns

[JG1965]

There is nothing fishy going on, my friend thinks its because she is away alot and does not really mix with neighbours, she is just on nodding terms with them, she thinks it was a busy-body who had not seen her about because she was away.

[JG1965]

Woolfgang they want to visit her tomorrow but my friend told them her mother was going away but they are insisting she changes her plans, can they make her do this. I think if my friend's mother wrote to them it would arrive too late to stop the visit and if her mother emailed them would they believe the email came from her.

[woofgang]

No they can't make her change her plans!! She is an adult woman and can do what she likes. The easiest way would be for her to make one phonecall if she felt she could and be very clear that she is refusing them permission to visit and that if they call unnanounced they may not find her there and if she is there she will refuse them admission to her house. I have got a nosey neighbour myself so i do sympathise.