Society & Culture1 min ago
Social Services Advice Please.
11 Answers
Does anyone on here work for or have any experience of the social services and vulnerable children cases?
My brother and his gf are having a baby which is due in the next few weeks .
The social services are heavily involved due to the history my brother's gf has with them as she gave up her 2 older children just last year into the custody of their dad due to child welfare concerns so social services are obviously concerned for baby.
My brother is dad to an 8 yr old who he adores and has always helped to look after and has never had any dealings with social services himself until now.
I am getting quite concerned as up until a couple of weeks ago there was talk of taking baby off them as soon as it is born and being put into foster then adoptive care but also talk of letting baby stay with mum and dad and with observation and support from social services , health visitor and me and my parents but in a meeting last week the whole tone changed.
The social worker who has been involved with my brothers gf since last year and due to this pregnancy was there but also her boss who seems less sympathetic and to have pushed it more to the taking baby off them straight away route.
I understand that they have concerns with gf's ability to look after baby but they have admitted themselves they know nothing about my brother and what sort of dad he is and surely the baby is just as much his so shouldn't they be giving him more of a chance to keep his own baby.
He has been very good and going to every meeting and doing everything that has been asked of him and saying all the right things but it feels like it is a waste of time now as the social workers have seemed to have made up their mind what their plan of action is now regardless.
Also my mum has been given some advice that another mum has given her from family experience that if my brother and gf move to a different council area the whole thing would come to a stop as another social worker team would then be responsible for the case and if it even gets handed over they may have a whole different view on the case.
the same woman has said that if they quickly got married before baby is born (it would have to be quick) they would have no rights to take baby. something to do with the baby inmmediately being classed as my brothers baby and more legal rights.
Both these ideas seem to not ring true to me but does anyone else on here know either way.
My mum is clutching at straws as she is getting really concerned too.
My brother and his gf are having a baby which is due in the next few weeks .
The social services are heavily involved due to the history my brother's gf has with them as she gave up her 2 older children just last year into the custody of their dad due to child welfare concerns so social services are obviously concerned for baby.
My brother is dad to an 8 yr old who he adores and has always helped to look after and has never had any dealings with social services himself until now.
I am getting quite concerned as up until a couple of weeks ago there was talk of taking baby off them as soon as it is born and being put into foster then adoptive care but also talk of letting baby stay with mum and dad and with observation and support from social services , health visitor and me and my parents but in a meeting last week the whole tone changed.
The social worker who has been involved with my brothers gf since last year and due to this pregnancy was there but also her boss who seems less sympathetic and to have pushed it more to the taking baby off them straight away route.
I understand that they have concerns with gf's ability to look after baby but they have admitted themselves they know nothing about my brother and what sort of dad he is and surely the baby is just as much his so shouldn't they be giving him more of a chance to keep his own baby.
He has been very good and going to every meeting and doing everything that has been asked of him and saying all the right things but it feels like it is a waste of time now as the social workers have seemed to have made up their mind what their plan of action is now regardless.
Also my mum has been given some advice that another mum has given her from family experience that if my brother and gf move to a different council area the whole thing would come to a stop as another social worker team would then be responsible for the case and if it even gets handed over they may have a whole different view on the case.
the same woman has said that if they quickly got married before baby is born (it would have to be quick) they would have no rights to take baby. something to do with the baby inmmediately being classed as my brothers baby and more legal rights.
Both these ideas seem to not ring true to me but does anyone else on here know either way.
My mum is clutching at straws as she is getting really concerned too.
Answers
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I really can't answer the question, jenarry, but this dilemma for you and your family is sad. Idon't think, however, that getting married would be any solution at all. If they are deemed unfit to keep the baby, for whatever reason, I'd think their marital status is irrelevant. This woman who has suggested marriage and moving - she knows this has worked for another couple in another area?
That is my feeling too boxtops with the marriage suggestion. The social services concerns aren't suddenly going to go away because they have married and baby is no more his due to marriage with the mum than it is now.
I think the moving area thing has worked on more than one occasion for the woman's daughter which I could sort of see how that would happen (although it feels very wrong ) with moving areas and having a different council and social services staff responsible for you. I don't think that is even an option for my brother and his gf but my mum has latched onto the idea.
I think the moving area thing has worked on more than one occasion for the woman's daughter which I could sort of see how that would happen (although it feels very wrong ) with moving areas and having a different council and social services staff responsible for you. I don't think that is even an option for my brother and his gf but my mum has latched onto the idea.
I don't know enough to comment on most of your post but I'll provide some information about the 'getting married' and 'legal rights' bit.
The situation used to be that a father would only have automatic 'parental responsibility' for his child if he was married to the child's mother at the time of the birth. (Otherwise he would have to get the mother to agree to him having parental responsibility or seek a court order to that effect).
However the law has now changed and a father can also gain automatic parental responsibility simply by registering the birth along with the mother (i.e. by having his name on the child's birth certificate):
https:/
So the 'get married quickly' advice no longer carries any weight.
https:/
The situation used to be that a father would only have automatic 'parental responsibility' for his child if he was married to the child's mother at the time of the birth. (Otherwise he would have to get the mother to agree to him having parental responsibility or seek a court order to that effect).
However the law has now changed and a father can also gain automatic parental responsibility simply by registering the birth along with the mother (i.e. by having his name on the child's birth certificate):
https:/
So the 'get married quickly' advice no longer carries any weight.
https:/
i have had dealingfs with social services, i lost all my kids and a new born, they took her from the hospital just a few hours old, and adopted a few months later, forced adoption, the police were outside the labour room, said if we take our daughter we would be arrested, i had had there involvement in the past, from what i read up, if you have had any past involvement they will get involved, best thing to do is work with them, this is what i refused to do, which led to this, if your brother has no track record with them, i do not see why they would get involved, and should try not to worry
Baby was born last wednesday and my brother's solicitor had given the social worker a stern talking to from what I can gather.
The social workers had come up with the idea about a month ago that if brother,gf and baby could stay with my mum and dad for the first 6-8 weeks then social workers can assess how they can cope as parents and go from there. my mum and dad weren't keen but when they said no the ss were pushing to taking baby off them straight away so mum and dad agreed reluctantly to have them stay after being pushed into a corner.
so that's where they are after a few days in hospital they have gone to my parent's from yesterday and we will have to see how they get on .
I hope my mum and dad can stop themselves from doing too much for them though as that will be defeating the object of them doing what is expected of them for the baby to prove they are up to it.
The social workers had come up with the idea about a month ago that if brother,gf and baby could stay with my mum and dad for the first 6-8 weeks then social workers can assess how they can cope as parents and go from there. my mum and dad weren't keen but when they said no the ss were pushing to taking baby off them straight away so mum and dad agreed reluctantly to have them stay after being pushed into a corner.
so that's where they are after a few days in hospital they have gone to my parent's from yesterday and we will have to see how they get on .
I hope my mum and dad can stop themselves from doing too much for them though as that will be defeating the object of them doing what is expected of them for the baby to prove they are up to it.
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