How long does it take for social services to visit after the knock?
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5 days ago we had the knock since then I’ve received 2 phone calls from social services. One the day after the knock telling me my partner had been arrested and been questioned and someone will be in contact soon and the 2nd was 2days after the 1st call asking had a seen my partner since his arrest - I said yes (he’s the only one that can answer any questions I have at the moment) had the children - again I said yes for half an hour totally supervised (police have told both me and my partner he’s allowed to see them supervised). The woman on the phone seemed put out by this. She then asked what I thought of the allegations my partner was facing and this is when I explained I wasn’t at home and couldn’t really talk and could she ring back later? She then became rather abrupt and she then told me a social worker would be assigned to my case and in touch soon and hung up. I tried ringing back when I got home and finally after getting to talk to someone I was told someone would ring me back and I’m still waiting.
I want to know what’s happening with our case. What I can and cannot do about him seeing the children. Is he allowed to visit the family home at all and also what help and support is there out there for our family?
I want to know what’s happening with our case. What I can and cannot do about him seeing the children. Is he allowed to visit the family home at all and also what help and support is there out there for our family?
We got the knock 3 weeks ago yesterday. Children's services rang the next day to say they would allocate a social worker. Waited a week heard nothing. Then a Sw rang saying can she come the next day. I have got to say the visits are not nice. She said she had 'about' 10 days to write the assessment. That means she should finish it today and then get her manager to agree it. She has rung me literally every other day with more questions and never says can you talk. She has also asked to speak to my son on the phone twice as well as interviewing him alone. She textes me calling me the wrong name. If I don't answer her call she asks me why I didn't. I think it's something you just have to get through. I've tried to be really nice and agreeable but it's really tough. I think different local authorities do it in different ways. Good luck x let me know if I can be any help at all.
I found my experience with SS very stressful indeed. It's all a tick box exercise. When my husband was first released on bail he came home on the understanding that all contact with the children would be supervised and he wasn't allowed to stay overnight. We adhered to this but then SS went mad when they found out days later and accused me of being non protective. They are very against any support you show. Our first SW was useless. We are now through the court process and despite a probation assessment showing he is less than 1% risk of a contact offence or reoffending, SS don't seem to want to take this assessment on board at all. Sorry to be so negative.
I found SS involvement one of the worst things about this nightmare process.
xxx
I found SS involvement one of the worst things about this nightmare process.
xxx
BelleBee I agree. Don't trust them all this that people say about support is misleading. Be on your guard would be my advice. I have found mine a complete nightmare and as Belle says one of the most stressful part knowing the power they have.
Thank you. Not long after I posted this question i had a phone call and a visit shortly after. He’s now not allowed access to any of our children or be around any child. He’s not allowed to visit the house if it’s just me here incase word gets out about the case and someone reports him for being here (who? I am not going to tell anyone) I’ve no one to talk to apart from him and he’s the only one that can answer any questions I have. She says they automatically put a no contact in place to start with and access the case further and look at reducing it. I want it all over and done with and to know if he’s lost his job because of it and if he does then we’ve lost the house we’re buying and I’ll have to move. I’m so tired of It all and it’s only just begun.
Hi Rusty,
Please give yourself time. Those early days are just horrific. I am 5 months down the line and things can still be tough but nothing compared to the intensity of those early days.. The shock and fear is immense. Most of us go into fight or flight mode so don't make any rash decisions.
Social services should complete an initial assessment and speak to the children's school etc to ensure there are no other Concerns. Most of the time they allow supervised contact and no overnight stays initially. For us this tool 5 weeks. I know there are others who have been shorter and longer. There's the odd one who haven't been allowed contact until the investigation is over. This shouldn't be the norm though as long as you can show that you're a protective parent.
Sending you love and strength. Xxx
Please give yourself time. Those early days are just horrific. I am 5 months down the line and things can still be tough but nothing compared to the intensity of those early days.. The shock and fear is immense. Most of us go into fight or flight mode so don't make any rash decisions.
Social services should complete an initial assessment and speak to the children's school etc to ensure there are no other Concerns. Most of the time they allow supervised contact and no overnight stays initially. For us this tool 5 weeks. I know there are others who have been shorter and longer. There's the odd one who haven't been allowed contact until the investigation is over. This shouldn't be the norm though as long as you can show that you're a protective parent.
Sending you love and strength. Xxx
Hi Rusty123,
After the knock on the door SS call the next day and came to see me the following day. It all happened so quickly. We also had a health visitor who we had regular visits with also. We had our Child protect conference within a month of the knock. It has almost a year since the knock and SS are very much still envolved in my life, i am hoping after court next year (magistrates, then Crown) they will leave me and my son alone. Like the others have mentioned on here I am on to my 4th SW, and 2nd Health Visitor.
I think alot of it depends on where you live, as there seem to be different rules across the country, the accusation/investigation, and the age of your children.
I know it is hard, but just take one day at a time, and do all you can to protect your children.
Take care and stay strong
After the knock on the door SS call the next day and came to see me the following day. It all happened so quickly. We also had a health visitor who we had regular visits with also. We had our Child protect conference within a month of the knock. It has almost a year since the knock and SS are very much still envolved in my life, i am hoping after court next year (magistrates, then Crown) they will leave me and my son alone. Like the others have mentioned on here I am on to my 4th SW, and 2nd Health Visitor.
I think alot of it depends on where you live, as there seem to be different rules across the country, the accusation/investigation, and the age of your children.
I know it is hard, but just take one day at a time, and do all you can to protect your children.
Take care and stay strong
Kelly completely agree it depends where you live. Different authorities seem to have different thresholds.
Hi,
I just wanted to give my perspective.
I initially went into after reading everything on here that social services were going to be horrendous.
My husband was arrested for a communication charge, bail initially put in place no contact with our son for the initial four weeks. Our solicitor started fighting them on it and as soon as our solicitor said fine we will see you in court the police changed their bail conditions to say he was allowed home but they would prefer supervised contact.
Social services when I first initially met our social worker she was brash and so was I as I was being defensive. My social worker said 9/10 in these cases its only the tip of the iceberg. 10 months down the line we actually know this to be completely incorrect and actually what my husband had said to her and police was completely true.
After the initial appointment with her she went to his school and spoke to him and everytime she always kept me up to date and asked if it was OK.
After everything she heard she decided to do a safety plan there was talk of CIN plan but this was decided against as the police had not told her that bail had changed and we already decided between us that it would be no unsupervised contact which she was very happy with.
Our last visit with her February my husband and I together she was very pleasant, asked us a few questions and just genuinely sounding like she was there to help rather than hinder.
A couple of week later I get a call from her telling me she has spoken to her manager and they have closed the case as investigation is ongoing and we are doing everything to the book.
I said to her right from the start I wasn't leaving my husband until I knew what had actually happened/ if more evidence had come to light. A few weeks ago our solicitor heard that there was literally nothing else on his devices and the only thing they have is the one conversation.
We are waiting for police to decide what they are going to do. Which is a horrible wait but our solicitor seems on the ball and is ready with written representations from 5 different people, my husbands counsellor, my husband has also been assessed and confirmed as being aspergers previously undiagnosed for 36 years of his life. He also has 6 mitigating circumstances.
Everyone's story is different and unfortunately with the different range of cases on here how social services react can be completely different.
Just keep your ground, make sure they know you don't agree with partner/husbands actions and will do anything to keep your kids safe.
I just wanted to give my perspective.
I initially went into after reading everything on here that social services were going to be horrendous.
My husband was arrested for a communication charge, bail initially put in place no contact with our son for the initial four weeks. Our solicitor started fighting them on it and as soon as our solicitor said fine we will see you in court the police changed their bail conditions to say he was allowed home but they would prefer supervised contact.
Social services when I first initially met our social worker she was brash and so was I as I was being defensive. My social worker said 9/10 in these cases its only the tip of the iceberg. 10 months down the line we actually know this to be completely incorrect and actually what my husband had said to her and police was completely true.
After the initial appointment with her she went to his school and spoke to him and everytime she always kept me up to date and asked if it was OK.
After everything she heard she decided to do a safety plan there was talk of CIN plan but this was decided against as the police had not told her that bail had changed and we already decided between us that it would be no unsupervised contact which she was very happy with.
Our last visit with her February my husband and I together she was very pleasant, asked us a few questions and just genuinely sounding like she was there to help rather than hinder.
A couple of week later I get a call from her telling me she has spoken to her manager and they have closed the case as investigation is ongoing and we are doing everything to the book.
I said to her right from the start I wasn't leaving my husband until I knew what had actually happened/ if more evidence had come to light. A few weeks ago our solicitor heard that there was literally nothing else on his devices and the only thing they have is the one conversation.
We are waiting for police to decide what they are going to do. Which is a horrible wait but our solicitor seems on the ball and is ready with written representations from 5 different people, my husbands counsellor, my husband has also been assessed and confirmed as being aspergers previously undiagnosed for 36 years of his life. He also has 6 mitigating circumstances.
Everyone's story is different and unfortunately with the different range of cases on here how social services react can be completely different.
Just keep your ground, make sure they know you don't agree with partner/husbands actions and will do anything to keep your kids safe.