Struggling and overwhelmed
Notifications OFF
My person was sentenced the other week. I'm struggling with coming to terms with it. He was communicating unknown to him with a vigilante group who were posing as a 12 and 14-year-olds. He sent an indecent image of himself to both and from what I can gather he was also talking sexually to them. He's been placed on the SOS for 3 years and to do 270 of community service within one year.
He has had 2 meeting with social works and his meeting today with them he was told that he wasn't allowed to go online at all. He's not allowed to have any smart devices and told to turn them off and has been given a new phone and phone number by social workers. He's to notify the police of his new phone. He's also been told he's not allowed to leave the house. He's not to go for walks ect and they have still to provide pre-approval walking routes for him.
He's also not working at the moment. He lost his job after the Facebook post from the vigilante group and has been unable to secure any other work. He stayed 2 weeks ago community service on Friday but that's it. I don't know if it's me, but I feel like these are really harsh restrictions.
He's also not allowed to come near my house or see the kids at all. Social workers says they will be reviewing it all. I did have a meeting with them on Friday and they seemed quite happy with me and just said they've started to do the risk assessments etc before they can see what candy label of contact he can have with the kids
I'm just feeling so overwhelmed with it all and feeling very alone. Before sentencing I was supervising contact and I would see him everyday when he was up seeing kids, a few nights you'd just come up for an hour to see them and then other nights a few hours. Maybe dinner as well. He would also come to the house through the day while I was at work and the kids at school and help worth housework chores, gardening, etc. Back in August I was thinking about maybe working towards him moving back in the family home and I did contact social works at the time to let them know that, that was family social watch but what we're dealing with now is the justice social workers.
I do t know why but I've spent most of the time once everyone left office today crying, even now I'm just in tears. I feel like all the emotions from when it happened are coming back and I'm just drowning in all these feelings.
Back in May I got some therapy through my work, I had 6 meeting but I can't get anymore and cat afford therapy..
How do we survive this. I don't think I would work through things with him anymore.
He has had 2 meeting with social works and his meeting today with them he was told that he wasn't allowed to go online at all. He's not allowed to have any smart devices and told to turn them off and has been given a new phone and phone number by social workers. He's to notify the police of his new phone. He's also been told he's not allowed to leave the house. He's not to go for walks ect and they have still to provide pre-approval walking routes for him.
He's also not working at the moment. He lost his job after the Facebook post from the vigilante group and has been unable to secure any other work. He stayed 2 weeks ago community service on Friday but that's it. I don't know if it's me, but I feel like these are really harsh restrictions.
He's also not allowed to come near my house or see the kids at all. Social workers says they will be reviewing it all. I did have a meeting with them on Friday and they seemed quite happy with me and just said they've started to do the risk assessments etc before they can see what candy label of contact he can have with the kids
I'm just feeling so overwhelmed with it all and feeling very alone. Before sentencing I was supervising contact and I would see him everyday when he was up seeing kids, a few nights you'd just come up for an hour to see them and then other nights a few hours. Maybe dinner as well. He would also come to the house through the day while I was at work and the kids at school and help worth housework chores, gardening, etc. Back in August I was thinking about maybe working towards him moving back in the family home and I did contact social works at the time to let them know that, that was family social watch but what we're dealing with now is the justice social workers.
I do t know why but I've spent most of the time once everyone left office today crying, even now I'm just in tears. I feel like all the emotions from when it happened are coming back and I'm just drowning in all these feelings.
Back in May I got some therapy through my work, I had 6 meeting but I can't get anymore and cat afford therapy..
How do we survive this. I don't think I would work through things with him anymore.
Unless he has an SHPO telling him he cannot go online or leave the house, then I don't see how the social workers can enforce these restrictions.
It may be a temporary thing while they complete a risk assessment, but even then, they have no powers to do this.
However, it may be better to go along with it for now, to avoid compromising the assessment.
It may be a temporary thing while they complete a risk assessment, but even then, they have no powers to do this.
However, it may be better to go along with it for now, to avoid compromising the assessment.
I think it might be worth looking into justice social workers and their guidelines. I'll try to find some information online for you and post it later today xxx
From looking at the court letter he hasn't got a shop but it says and any restrictions placed by the supervisor officer which is the social works department.
We're based in Scotland not sure if it makes a difference
We're based in Scotland not sure if it makes a difference
Yes, Scotland is different. It sounds like he has been given a Community Payback Order with an Offender Supervision requirement and possibily a conduct requirement.
The guidance is rather vague and as a result it is wide open to abuse by the SW, as appears to have happened in this case.
In theory, the SW must meet with the person and agree a case management plan within 5 days of sentencing. This should be done with the agreement of the person. It should not simply be a case of the SW imposing restrictions on the person without their consent.
There is something called a Restricted movement order, basically a curfew, but that only be imposed by a court, if the person has breached an existing CPO. It cannot be imposed by the SW at the start of a CPO, so the SW has absolutely no powers to tell him he cannot leave the house. That is clearly an abuse of their power.
When it comes to internet restrictions there is no clear guidance at all. It should be clearly set out, as part of the conduct requirement, but may not be. The English courts have ruled that a total internet ban is disproportionate, because it stops someone applying for jobs, using online banking etc. The Scottish courts said it is up to the SW, so they can impose a total internet ban, even if this is harmful to the person being supervised. But I would be asking the SW how can the person claim Universal Credit for example, if they have no internet access? UC can only be claimed online.
The guidance is rather vague and as a result it is wide open to abuse by the SW, as appears to have happened in this case.
In theory, the SW must meet with the person and agree a case management plan within 5 days of sentencing. This should be done with the agreement of the person. It should not simply be a case of the SW imposing restrictions on the person without their consent.
There is something called a Restricted movement order, basically a curfew, but that only be imposed by a court, if the person has breached an existing CPO. It cannot be imposed by the SW at the start of a CPO, so the SW has absolutely no powers to tell him he cannot leave the house. That is clearly an abuse of their power.
When it comes to internet restrictions there is no clear guidance at all. It should be clearly set out, as part of the conduct requirement, but may not be. The English courts have ruled that a total internet ban is disproportionate, because it stops someone applying for jobs, using online banking etc. The Scottish courts said it is up to the SW, so they can impose a total internet ban, even if this is harmful to the person being supervised. But I would be asking the SW how can the person claim Universal Credit for example, if they have no internet access? UC can only be claimed online.
For internet use he was told go to the job centre or library (but he's not allowed to go anywhere that under 18s might gather)